Time Changer: Reading Philosopher's Stone
by Crossfire.Technicalites.x
Summary: A Time Vortex. 13 People. Past and Present. Their Destinies Now Entwined. They Happen Across A Book. A Book Named Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. They See The Future. What Can Be Changed ? WARNING ... Minor Slash. AU
1. Chapter 1

You know the drill … I.Do.Not.Own.Harry.Potter [

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13th March 1998

Harry Potter was an ordinary boy in an ordinary world. Yeah right the day Harry Potter was normal was the day Voldermort would claim himself a lover of bunnies and all things pink and fluffy. But even for a wizard Harry Potter was not ordinary. He was prophesised to defeat the Dark Lord, he was a parselmouth, and he had gone up against said Dark Lord five times and somehow managed to survive.

So, Harry Potter was completely normal, but right at this minute he was following a strange pulling sensation he had felt in his chest since that morning, his two best friends were following him of course as they proclaimed that they could feel the exact same pull. Currently the two were arguing as per usual, he thought he heard something about potions homework.

When they finally reached the place that this strange sensation was leading them they realised they were in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy opposite the Room of Requirement. A single door stood alone the only adornment was a large brass handle. When Harry touched the brass it glowed a light blue and literally sucked the trio inside the room. To say they were shocked when they gathered their senses would be an understatement.

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13th March 1977

Lily Marie Evans was a fiery girl, portrayed by her intense red hair. She was sitting in the Gryffindor common room reading a fairly large charms book. Actually that was what she was trying to do; instead she was watching her boyfriend James Potter who was sitting across the room talking to his fellow marauders. 'Planning a prank probably' she thought fondly, a small smile gracing her lips just as a sharp pull issued in her chest and she had no choice but to follow it. As she walked passed James he joined her in her rather strange quest, so did Sirius, Remus and Peter. They walked together Lily and James hand in hand and the others following behind laughing and joking. They also reached the tapestry; and they also reached for the doorknob causing all five of them to get sucked in through a blue hole and they had the shock of their lives when they gathered their wits.

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Hope that sounds interesting enough . I suppose I'll have to add everything else now . Hehe

Hannah . x


	2. All Is Explained

You know the drill … I.Do.Not.Own.Harry.Potter [

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Harry stared at the sight in front of him. Inside the room was:

Draco Malfoy

Severus Snape

Albus Dumbledore

Minerva McGonagall

Remus Lupin

Hermione Granger

Ron Weasley

And of course himself, but what got him really confused were the other's all held at wand point near the corner of the room; now he could be mistaken but he was sure, surer than he'd ever been in his life that those people were

James Potter

Lily Evans

Sirius Black

A younger Remus Lupin

And …

"Peter Pettigrew" Harry growled.

He flung himself forward he wasn't thinking at all, he missed the looks of shock on everyone's but the older Remus' face, all he was focussed on was the traitor that stood in front of him. When he was grabbed around the waist he fought to get free to at least punch the watery rat in front of him.

"Harry James Potter" he heard someone scream

He stopped struggling he had too; he turned around and noticed the person who was holding him. It was Remus. He also noticed that it was Remus who had screamed. Harry stared in shock at him.

"Please" Harry whispered "Please Remus tell me this isn't a dream"

"No Harry" he sighed "It's not a dream"

"Then how the fuck can you stand there and not let me kill him for what he did!!" Harry screamed "He turned you against Sirius, he got Sirius twelve years in Azkaban because he was the one who betrayed my parents, my parents Remus, who I spent sixteen months of my entire life with" Harry was crying by the end of it, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded with Remus to understand what he was currently going through.

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Lily was shocked. They had landed in a room already filled with people. Someone who looked like an older Remus, one who looked like an older version of one of her oldest friends Severus Snape, an older Dumbledore, an older McGonagall and a teenager she didn't know but who looked like Lucius Malfoy.

She was scared when they were all at wand point and she was being pushed behind James so he could protect her. Then the door spat out three more people. A red head, a bushy haired girl, and someone who looked like a mix of James and herself. The young boy had all of James' main features, except the eyes he had;

"My eyes" she whispered

She watched him closely as he looked around in confusion then focussed on her small group of people, he glanced in shock at her and James, stared longingly at Sirius, passed over Remus which was, she supposed, quite logical and glared in fury and hate at Peter.

She heard him growl and when he flung himself forward she was shocked and took a hasty step back. He was grabbed around the waist by the older Remus but he still struggled his gaze fixed on Peter who was trying to hide between Siri and the wall.

When she heard the boy's name her mouth dropped open and taking a quick look at everyone else she saw that they all mimicked her.

She stared at the boy taking in every detail she almost missed hearing whisper;

"Please, please Remus tell me this isn't a dream"

"No Harry" older Remus whispered back "It's not a dream"

The next minute she was shocked again as Harry exploded;

"Then how the fuck can you stand there and not let me kill him for what he did!!" Harry screamed "He betrayed my parents, he turned you against Sirius, he got Sirius twelve years in Azkaban because he was the one who betrayed my parents, my parents Remus, who I spent sixteen months of my entire life with" he was crying by the end of it. She could see his bright green eyes filled with so much pain and loss, pleading with Remus to understand.

The next moment everyone was blinded as a bright green light surrounded everyone and when it cleared a small girl was stood there, a sad look on her face and a large pile of books in her hand.

"Hi" she said quietly "My name's Poison, yes Lily I am the one who brought you all here, No Severus you cannot leave until you have read all of these books, Yes Harry they are your parents as they were in their seventh year at Hogwarts,No Albus Peter hasn't yet turned I'm hoping that this will make him see how much he is actually cared for and what he has to lose. Draco you are here because there are truths you need to learn to help you make the choices you know you are going to be forced to make in the summer". She said all of this quietly looking down at the small hand placed on top of the books

"You are all here for a reason I've brought you Lily, James" she said looking at them "so you can get to know the son you just heard you only spent 16 month with. Peter I've explained why you're here. Remus you're here as moral-support to everyone, both Remus'" she whispered glancing between them "Sirius you my great Grim, need to get to know your godson better you spent two years, hell not even that, with him. Severus, there are old rivalries at work here, rivalries that should not have begun in the first place. I'm counting on you to sort it out; there also may be clues in these books things that will help you in certain research you are currently progressing through. Albus' you need to learn of your mistakes things you should have done and things you shouldn't have done. Minerva, you're just strict you are here to keep order with everyone. Ron, Hermione you just have a right to be here. You three have been through everything together and hopefully will stick together."

She gazed at them all silently, sadly.

"This is where I leave you" and she vanished.

Lily pushed past James and jumped on the son she never had the chance to know.

Whoo two chapter's in one night, my I do feel special now 

World Peace: I hope it gets good I've never really written stuff like this before.


	3. Remus Read's First

A/n Older Remus is Just going to be called Remus while Younger Remus is going to be called Moony. I Do Not Own Harry Potter

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"Well then now that Poison's explained why don't we read this book" Professor Dumbledore suggested. "Who would like to read first?"

"I will" Remus said. He held his hand out for the book and everyone made themselves comfortable around the room. Lily of course got off of her son and sat in James' lap

"Right then" he said

"**Chapter One- The Boy Who Lived."**

"Nice title" Sirius muttered

"**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."**

"Your SO welcome" Sirius said politely

"Whatta bunch of gits" James muttered "Hate them already"

"Would you believe me if I said you would hate them even more really soon" Harry piped up

"Yes, Yes I would" Lily scowled

"**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense."**

"Bet they wouldn't even know it if it danced stark naked in front of them" Harry grumbled

"Not wrong there son" James said

"**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills."**

"Oh Oh Oh Drills, ooh lemme make the drills pleaseeee" Sirius whined sarcastically

"See Draco" Snape whispered "And I had seven years of that"

"**He was a big beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blond and had nearly twice the amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors."**

"No way…" Lily cried flinging the book away from her. " It can't be"

"What?" everyone cried

"That woman sounds just like my sister." Lily started to hyperventilate

"Oh my GOD!" Harry shouted "Remus you weren't lying when you said she was smart were you"

Everyone except James and Lily snickered

"Umm … I think I should be hurt but I'm just not sure" Lily whispered

"**The Dursley's had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere."**

"Well if he's anything like his parents then I think they need to get their heads checked" Remus said with some venom.

Harry turned around and looked shocked at Remus; normally he was nice to everyone.

"What? I'm allowed to hate some people you know."

"But Reeeeemus" Sirius, James and Harry whined "You're the sane one"

"CARRYING ON" Lily Bellowed

"**The Dursley's had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if any one found out about the Potters. Mrs, Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister"**

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING RELATED TO A POTTER? I THINK SHE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL SHE KNOWS SUCH A GREAT FAMILY" James yelled jumping up from his beanbag and glared at the book.

"Prongs it's only a book" Remus said quietly not wanting to get James angry with him.

"Stupid" Severus muttered

"**But they hadn't met for several years in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing-husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be."**

"GOOD FOR NOTHING? WHY THAT COW! I SHOULD…."

"James calm down my sister has always been like that"

"Your sister huh?" James started to grin insanely "Well Evans you know what that means!"

"James I think that the boy sitting next to the Remus is proof enough that we got married" Lily said slowly as if talking to a five year old

"Haha Prongsie got served" Sirius hollered

"**The Dursley's shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursley's knew that the potters had a small son, too, but they had never seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that."**

"CHILD LIKE WHAT?" James and Lily yelled together "YOUR JUST A BUNCH OF PRICKS!" Lily screams

"Oi Mum, I lived with them for ten years, you don't have to shout that those particular muggles are pricks"

"**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday out story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair. None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window."**

"Just like muggles can't see past their own noses." Draco snorted

"I never did like tawny owls very much… they always seemed boring." Sirius said to no one in particular.

"Thank you for that random and useless fact Black. Do you mind if Remus continues?" Lily purred but everyone noticed the glint in her eye. Sirius nodded quickly "Thank you!"

"**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house.**

"WOAH!!" Hermione said

"Hold up" continued Ron

They both looked at Harry "Did … did we just hear the … the words LITTLE TYKE … to refer to Dudley Dursley?" They asked

Harry grinned shyly "Erm … yeah I believe you did"

"Oh My GOD!!" they shouted

"Wait what's the deal with Potter's cousin?" Malfoy asked

"Accio pictures of Dudley Dursley" was all Harry said and passed them around when they arrived.

"Ah umm ... continue Remus" James said looking faintly green

**He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar– a cat reading a map"**

"Ah Minerva you really were there all day weren't you?" Albus remarked

"I have a cat" Lily said

"I didn't know you had a cat?" Sirius wondered

"That's coz she never comes to Hogwarts… she hates traveling and I think she's a bit smitten for the cat next door!" Lily sniggered at the last.

"Umm. Lily? We need to get this story over with" Remus said quietly

"Oh right… ummm… continue"

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen– then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road he watched the cat in his mirror it was now reading the sign; cats couldn't read maps **_**or**_** signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he though of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day."**

"Go professor McGonagall" Harry remarked

"Okay Moving on from the cat!

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else.**"

"Great memory this guy has!" James mused

"Oh Father, so young so gullible" Harry said

"Excuse me" James whispered

"Nothing Nothing"

"**As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help notice that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes — the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eye fell on a huddle of these weirdoes's standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak!"**

"Gee I don't know maybe coz he's a GOD DAMM WIZARD YA MORON!" Moony exploded "How dense does he have to be?"

"Um Moony? Most muggles have never met a wizard when their wearing robes and cloaks?" Lily sighed

**"The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt — these people were obviously collecting for something...yes that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills."**

"Like I said great memory!" James exclaimed again

"So young" Harry remarked again

"**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people sown in the street did; they pointer and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at night time. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he though he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery."**

"Great form of exercise! That's going to do him LOADS of good" Lily snickered.

"His logic is better that Prongsie's!" Sirius said

"Hey don't you put me in with that prick"

"Why not?"

"Why you…" James grabbed Sirius round the neck and they started to fight.

"Are they always like this?" Harry asked Remus

"Yep" he said nodding

"Shouldn't we stop them?"

"Nah, just watch" Remus replied looking bored.

James and Sirius continued to fight till Lily got bored of watching them and pored water on them.

"As Remus was saying…

"**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch was whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right. That's what I heard —"**

**"— yes, their son Harry —"**

"Oh Harry's a nice name, don't you think James?" Lily had a dreamy look on her face.

"Erm … I do believe you already have a child called Harry" Severus said

"Stay out of this Snivellus"

"**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office , snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called potter who had a son called Harry**."

"OH OH OH! I BAGS BEEN GODFATHER I WANNA BE GODFATHER! You don't mind do you Lils?" Sirius started jumping around the room

"Sirius shut up you already are Harry's godfather" Ron said

"So I take that as a yes then!" Sirius cried gleefully!

"Sure Padfoot.

**Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. "**

"What a… oh as if you couldn't remember you own nephews name." Lily said sorrowful "That's just cruel"

"And you grew up with these people Potte?" Draco muttered

"**There was just no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her — if He'd had a sister like that...but all the same, those people in cloaks...**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o' clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"**Sorry," the grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few second before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today!"**

**Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like your self should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

Everyone from the past looked at each other with their mouths wide open.

"Do you think it's true?" Lily whispered

"Hello why not ask the future people"

"I guess" Lily sounded skeptical "So is it true?"

Harry and Remus merely nodded

Suddenly Sirius grinned and started posing "HE'S GONE, HE'S GONE, HE'S BUGGERED OFF, HE'S OUTTA HERE! HE"S GONE!"

Soon James started joining in and they did a victory dance pulling Moony and Lily in to join.

After a while they settled back down and waited for Remus to continue reading.

"But .." Harry trailed off, Lily looked up fear on her face "He came back two years ago" he whispered

"**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off."**

"I'm surprised he could even hug half his body the great lump of beef" Sirius interrupted

"**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw — and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes."**

"McGonagall! Bet ya it's McGONAGALL!" Sirius cried making Lily jump and put a hand to her chest.

"Oh My God! Snape did he ever listen?? Ever!?" Harry asked

"Nope I told you Potter arrogant all of them"

"Sorry!" Even though Sirius didn't look sorry at all.

"Anyways how do you know that's McGonagall?"

"My godfather is stupid, My godfather is stupid, My godfather is stupid," Harry repeated pounding his head on the table. "I want the older version back, he was funny but he didn't treat me like a kid and he was smarter. He loved me" He muttered still banging his head. Remus just sighed and rubbed Harry's back saying it wasn't Harry's fault

"So" James said eyeing his son weirdly "Who said it was McGonagall?"

"Albus" answered Hermione looking bored "So how'd Sirius figure out it was McGonagall

"We've served that many detentions with her that we kinda pick up little things about her... You know...What bugs her! What not to do, what make her laugh..."

"I don't think I've ever seen her laugh Moony have you?" James questioned

"I was just giving examples." Moony replied rolling his eyes.

"Oh"

"I am human you know" McGonagall said

"Not when you're a cat Minerva" Severus put in

"What me to use your bed as a litter box you big bat?"

James and Sirius looked awed

""**Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly"**

"RIGHT like that's gonna work on McGonagall!" Sirius said sarcastically

"**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? "**

"Only if it's McGonagall!" Sirius interrupted again. Everyone looked at him with raised eyebrows. "What?"

"**Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Shan't"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news: **

"**And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changer their sleeping pattern." The news caster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be anymore showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

"Oh ha ha very witty!" James muttered darkly, Lily poked him and hissed at him to shut up.

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that. But it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain that I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars."**

"Shooting Stars instead of rain, hey?" Sirius and James smiled evilly and stared to mutter about the pros and cons. "MAUAREDER HUDDLE! No offence Lils but could you turn away for a few minutes? Hey Remus and Prongs Junior get your asses over here" Sirius asked sweetly

"DON'T CALL ME LILS!" Lily bellowed but shuffled over to the couch all the same.

A few minutes later Lily felt someone sit beside and whipped round to see who it was.

"Whoa easy there Lils! Only me!" James said putting his hands up.

"Sorry James." Lily said going red. "Finished your little huddle?" she asked gruffly.

"Yer." James smile brightly "Sorry 'bout that but can't have anything go wrong and someone finding out 'bout our plans, you know how it is!"

"Sure" Lily was past trying to figure out what they did in that circle.

"Um Lils are you okay? You seem to have zoned out of it" James asked while waving his hand in front of her face.

"Fine James. Fine"

"Ah there you two are we were gonna start sending out a search party!" Sirius bounded towards them and put his arms round both their shoulders stirring them towards Remus.

"What when we were on the couch?" James asked

"Carry on with the story Remus!"

**Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And whisper, a whisper about the Potters...**

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Err — Petunia**,

"Petunia?" Lily cried, "No, NO, My sisters called Petunia!"

"Didn't we already go through this?" Draco asked

"**Dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister**."

"If anyone should be shocked or angry it should be me after the way she treats me" Lily said in a rage.

Everyone glanced at each other as if trying to nominate someone other than themselves to try and bring Lily out of her rage. No one wanted to.

"She's always been jealous of me, just coz I'm a witch and don't look like a horse…" Sirius snickered

"…Now she's pretending she doesn't even have a sister? That's low ever for her!" Lily started to calm down so James put his arm round her as said "Don't worry; she'll get it in the end!"

Lily looked at him when he said that the said quietly "Thanks guys for letting me have my little out burst" she normally didn't outburst like that.

"It's okay Lils!" Sirius said patting her shoulder "Anyway on with the story!"

"**No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

"**Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls...shooting stars...and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

"_**So**_**?" snapped Mrs. Dursley**

"**Well, I just thought...maybe...it was something to do with...you know...**_**her **_**crowd."**

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dare tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." he decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could. "Their son — he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

"**I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

"**What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

"**Harry. Nasty common name, if you asked me."**

At this both Lily and James growled but didn't say anything.

"Ohh I can't wait until summer" Harry said with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"**Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursley's got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind...He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect **_**them**_

Harry and Minerva snicker.

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all."**

"GO THAT CAT! I BET YA IT'S MCGONAGALL!" Sirius said pointing at the book as if the cat was there.

"Calm down Pads" James said

"**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have though he'd just popped out of the ground."**

"YIPPEE!"

"Um Prongs?"

"Yer Moony?"

"Did Padfoot just go yippee?"

"Yer…what happened to him?!"

"Back to the story" Lily said forcefully

"**The cat's tail twitched and it's eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled books. His eye were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice."**

"I BET YA IT'S DUMBLEDORE!" James and Sirius cried together. "NO I BET IT'S HIM NOT YOU" they pointed to each other "STOP COPYING ME!" With that, they started fighting again.

"Just carry on with out them," Lily yelled over the noise. That effectively shut them up.

"There crazy, they are all crazy" Draco and Severus muttered at the same time

"**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore."**

"Ha TOLD YOU! NO YOU DIDN'T, I DID!"

"STOP IT YOU BOTH TOLD US NOW SHUT UP BEFORE I HEX YOU" Remus bellowed

"Thank you Remus." Lily said with a nod of her head.

"**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

"Ha ha, even Dumbledore know!" Sirius whispered causing both Lily and Remus, hell everyone in the room to glare at him.

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. **

"I WANT ONE!" Sirius started to bounce up and down like a little kid on a sugar high

"**He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyes Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

"**Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

Ha. Told yo…"

"_Silencio_" Remus mutter

Sirius started to use rude and crude sign language at Remus

"Thank you" Lily signed, "Finally we can continue"

"**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather sever-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.** "**How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

"**My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

"Poor gal! She needs to learn to loosen up! Let her hair down…" James stopped and envisioned McGonagall letting her hair down and burst out laughing.

"He's just as bad as Sirius!" Lily cried out in mock horror

"Hey I resent that!"

"Excuse me" Professor McGonagall said from her seat.

James turned around in horror, he had forgotten she was there.

Remus looked at Sirius "Do you promise to stop being so loud it I let you of?" Sirius nodded his head hard

"Good _Finite Incantatum_"

"I resent you comparing James to me Lils!" Sirius snapped as soon as he was released.

"Oh Poor Pup!" Lily pouted at him.

"**You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day." Said Professor McGonagall**

"**All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily**

"Sniffy sniff" Draco said "What's with the sniff's Professor?"

"If I want to sniff Mr.Malfoy I will sniff" McGonagall replied haunghtingly

"**Oh, yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head at the Dursley' dark living -room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls...shooting stars...Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle he never had much sense."**

"**You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"Eleven years!" said Peter

"WOW Peter finally speaks" whispered Sirius

"**I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really **_**has **_**gone, Dumbledore?"**

"**It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

"**A **_**what**_**?"**

"I'm hungry now" Sirius wined

"Then wish for some food" Harry muttered

"**A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

"**No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone —"**

"**My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: **_**Voldemort.**_** Professor McGonagall flinched**

"Fancy McGonagall flinching at his name." Sirius muttered

"Everyone flinches at his name Padfoot" Remus glared darkly.

"Quite pathetic really it's not even his real name" Harry commented offhandedly

"Really?" Lily asked "What's his real name?"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle" Harry replied

"**But Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice."It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

"**I know you haven't," said professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know-oh, all right, **_**Voldemort**_**, was frightened of."**

"**You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

"**Only because you're too — well — **_**noble **_**to use them."**

"YAY! NOBLE DUMBLEDORE!" James and Sirius high-fiving each other

"**It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"Oh that's so _cute_" James laughed "Just like Dumbledore to say something like that!"

"**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore however was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**What they're saying," she pressed on**,

Everyone from the past was suddenly quiet wondering what it was that everyone was saying.

"**Is that last night Voldemort turned up in…"**

Remus paused here looking at Harry

Harry just nodded

"**In Godric's hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead."**

They all sat there in horror looking at the book.

Remus sighed and listened to the sounds of Lily crying and James comforting her

"We died? He… he killed us?" She whispered. She looked at James.

James looked like he was going to faint grabbed her and held her close. "It's okay Lily," He mutters into her hair.

Moony and Sirius came over and hugged them. They sat there for a few minutes then Lily said she was okay and that they should continue with the book. Peter just sat there staring throughout all of it.

"You Sure Lils Coz we could finish it another day?" Sirius asks looking at the floor.

"Read." She said forcefully. Remus picked up the book and continued.

" **Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James... I can't believe it...I didn't want to believe it...Oh, Albus..."**

"Guess she does have a soft spot for you Prongsie!" Sirius joked half-heartedly

"**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder."I know... I know..." he said heavily**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But — he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power some how broke — and that's why he's gone."**

"He couldn't kill my little baby?" Lily was stunned. Even though she was 17 years old she still felt that Harry was hers. Plus the fact that said little baby was sitting across from her.

"Little buggers like his dad! Hard to get rid of! Oh how many times I've tried!" Sirius laughed. Lily giggled

Sirius looked shocked "Um Prongsie? Did Lily just GIGGLE at something I said?"

"Don't get a big head over it Black." Lily glared at him

Sirius grinned proudly "To late, damage done! I'll never let you forget this Lils!"

"What I want to know is who's going to look after little Harry?" Moony asked

"Wait didn't we establish that as well?" Peter asked

"God help us!" Lily cried.

"**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

"**It's — it's **_**true**_**?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done...all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding...of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

"**We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a laced handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

"Hagrid? Are they having a get together or something? Funny place to meet if you ask me?" Sirius joked

"No one was asking you Black" Snape sneered

Sirius growled but shut up.

"**Yes" said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me **_**why **_**you're here, of all places?"**

"**I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

There was an eerily silence then…

'"WHAT? WHAT DOES HE THINK HES DOING?"

"GIVING MY SON TO PATUNIA TO LOOK AFTER? IS HE NUTS?" Lily screamed

"WHERE AM I? WHY AREN'T THEY SENDING HIM TO ME?" Sirius Bellowed

"SOMEONE TALK SOME SENCE INTO THE MAN? HE'S CRAZY. I'M TELLING YOU THIS BOOK IS WRONG." Lily screamed

It took everyone a few minutes to calm down.

"I think Dumbledore and us are going to have a VERY long talk bout this." James said while pacing back and forth

"Oh yer, that'll be interesting to hear"

"Yeah Prongsie; Oh excuse me professor Dumbledore may me and Lily flower here have a quick word. Right okay well, see we read this book lately and we found it was from the future. Well in it we found out that in about four or five years we'll end up being murdered by You – Know – Who, now we also know that at that time we will have a one year old son named Harry. Now when we kick the bucket Harry under absolutely no circumstances is to go to a Mrs. Petunia Dursley okay? Right goodbye professor."

"Ha you'll be in the physco ward at St. Mungo's in two minutes" Moony snickered

"Shut up Moony." Snapped James

"Besides Dumbledore's sat behind you" Peter remarked

"Oh yeah" Lily said. Then she rounded on him "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?" she screamed

"You shall see" Albus replied

"**You don't mean — you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

"**It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"Wow, He can explain everything in a letter... clever man."

"Yeah right that didn't exactly work did it headmaster?" Harry exclaimed

"**A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry potter day in the future — there will be books written about Harry — every child in our world will know his name!"**

"Maybe it's a good thing…" James said quietly

"Why?"

"Coz"

"**Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boys head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

Everyone sat quietly think bout what they had just heard.

"**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallow, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it."**

"I don't know bout you but that sounds kinda wrong…" Sirius snickered

"SHUT UP BLACK/PADFOOT" Lily and James shouted

"**Hagrid's bringing him."**

"**You think it — wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?**

"Hey I would trust Hagrid with my life!" James said hotly

"So would I" Harry Ron and Hermione repeated

"**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore."**

"Spooky"

"**I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?"**

"Dun Dun DUNNN" Sirius cried dramatically

"**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them."**

"I WANT ONE! THAT IS SO COOL!" Sirius said ecstatically

"**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild — long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash cans lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets."**

"Harry" James and Lily breathed

"**Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've go him, sir"**

"YAHOOOO! WAY TO GO ME! HA DID YOU HEAR IT'S MY BIKE! WOOHOO! SWEET"

Sirius started dancing around the room.

"That is SO cool! Pads you are so going to have to let me ride it!" James was as happy as Sirius.

"Sure Prongs!" They high-fived

"Boys" Lily rolled her eyes.

"Hey I saw that" and with that they both started tickling her.

"I'm going to start reading again" Remus cried over Lily's laugher

"Okay we're ready" James said sitting down next to Lily

"Again I repeat My Godfather and Father are stupid"

"**No problems, were there?"**

"**No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we were flyin' over Bristol."**

**Dumbledore and professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his fore head they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lighting.** "**Is that where —?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

"**Yes" said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

Lily started crying. She tried to stop because she didn't feel like crying in front of the rest of the room but instead of teasing her, James hugged her and Sirius told her to let it all out while Remus handed her a tissue. At that moment Lily found that in this time the people she had thought she knew were not all that bad. Not that she'll ever tell them that.

"Thanks guys." She whispered from James's shoulder

"**Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

"**Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground"**

They all laughed at that.

"That is his favorite story to tell isn't it." Sirius said wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes.

"**Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursley's' house**

"**Could I — Could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog."**

"I can understand that!" Sirius muttered.

"**Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

"Well talk about un-sensitive Minerva" Severus muttered

"**S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, Taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it.** **"But I c-c-can't stand it — Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles —"**

"**Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself. Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle, Hagrid's shoulders shook, professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out."**

"Oh" Lily whimpered, "Dumbledore's eyes always twinkle unless he's either really sad or angry." She started to sob again

"Don't worry Lils, Dumbledore knows what he's doing." Sirius said trying to cheer her up.

"Thanks Sirius." Lily smiled at him. Sirius was a bit shocked. Lily Evans had just called him Sirius. Wow the powers of a book.

"**Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

"**Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

"**I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply**.

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

"**Good luck, Harry" he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing thing to happen. Harry potter rolled over insider his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley...He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!'**

"Well that's the end of the chapter" Remus said "Who wants to read next?"

"I will" James offered so Remus passed the book and James flicked onto the next page.

Well That There Be The Official First Chapter Hopefully Not That Bad …

Hannah. x


	4. My Son Can Talk To Snakes

**_You Know The Drill I Do Not Own Harry Potter (Imagine if I did though … Wow Richness)_**

"Shall we continue then?" Remus said once James had settled down.

"Sure" James started "Okay… Chapter 2 – The Vanishing Glass"

Nobody notices Harry paling

"**Nearly ten years had past since the Dursley's had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but privet drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursley's' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different colored bobble hats - but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on the roundabout at the fair, playing games with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house too."**

"So where are you Potter?" Malfoy asked

"I'm there" he said glaring at the book

Everyone also noticed that Remus, Ron and Hermione were glaring as well.

"Um guys?" James said reading on ahead.

'**Yet Harry potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which made the first noise of the day**.

"You know I don't think I'll ever figure out exactly why I put up with that for all those years"

"You just had to mate. You just had to"

'**Up, Get up! Now!'**

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again. 'Up' she screeched.**

"Well her voice hasn't exactly changed has it?" Lily snickered

Harry looked at her in horror.

"You mean it's always been like that?" he asked

"Yep" Lily nodded

**Harry heard her walking towards the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the cooker. He rolled on to his back and tried to remember the dream he had being having. It had being a good one. There had being a flying motorbike in it he had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.'**

"But you did Harry! You remember my beautiful bike!" Sirius was bouncing with excitement.

"Sirius calm down."

"Huh why?"

"Because if you don't you won't get to hear the rest of the story will you?" Moony muttered

"Awww shuddup Moony"

"My dear Padfoot, why would I do that?"

Sirius growled at Remus, who sat there smirking.

"Um … guys shall we …?" James trailed off gesturing towards the book

They nodded

**HIS aunt was back outside the door.**

'**Are you up yet?' she demanded.**

'**Nearly,' said Harry."**

"Yey! My godson speaks"

'**Well get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect for Duddy's birthday.'**

**Harry groaned**

"Why Jamesie I do believe that your son has inherited your intelligence"

'**What did you say?'**

**His aunt snapped through the door.**

'**Nothing nothing…'**

**Dudley's birthday – how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed.**

"Dresses like his father in the morning!"

**And, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept. **

"WHAT!" screamed James and Lily together

Everyone covered their ears to save them from damage

"Um … guys" said the Remus' "I'm a Werewolf we have sensitive hearing so don't scream!"

"Sorry but, I mean come on who is evil enough to put a small child into a bloody shoe cupboard?"

"You know that is kind of your fault" Harry commented

"What how??" James asked

"Well it all started a week before you died. You were going into hiding under the Fidelus (A/n if spelt wrong sorry) Charm and for that you needed a secret keeper. Now at this time there had been a spy in the Order of the Phoenix for over a year" Here Harry paused. He turned to Dumbledore "You know why you never thought to put veritisurem (Again my spelling's bad sorry) in the order's drinks? Would have been one hell of a lot easier" He turned back to James "So anyway, you were going to use Sirius, but just before the charm was cast Sirius decided to use a ploy, saying that Voldemort, would think straight away that you would use Padfoot, so your secret keeper was that rat over there" he nodded to Pettigrew "But you idiots never thought to inform the Headmaster so when Pettigrew handed you on a silver platter to Mr. I'm-Gunna-Grow-Up-To-Be-A-Bald-Pain-In-The-Ass you died. Dad you went first, then Mum went next giving her life to protect mine so I was labeled with the ultimate protection And I had to live with a blood relative of my Mother's, oh and Sirius got twelve years in Azkaban 'Cuz the headmaster over there testified AGAINST my godfather, so effectively Remus spent 12 years alone, because Peter had faked his own death."

"SO you ended up spending your life with your aunt because Wormtail betrayed us?"

"Yep" Harry smiled brightly

"That … That horse. Ooh I'm gunna get her. I'm seventeen now I can do magic but she doesn't know that" Lily cackled evilly "I'll turn her blue and make yellow hair grow out of her nose and I'll set it so only I can change it back" Lily was still cackling a manic glint in her eye.

"Lily calm down! It's only the beginning it'll get better you'll see." Remus reasoned with her.

"Oh just start reading again" she snapped

"**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had got the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise –" **

"You know that reminds me of someone" Moony remarked glancing at Peter

"**Unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's favorite punch-bag was Harry," **

Silence surrounded the occupants of the room.

"He what?" James ground out

Come to think of it everyone looked pretty mad. Even Snape who always proclaimed Harry was spoiled and arrogant.

"**But he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast."**

"GO PRONGSIE JR.!" yelled Sirius

"**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age."**

"Gee I don't know maybe because you spent your entire life in a cupboard?" Draco muttered sarcastically

Harry just stared at him.

"**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair "**

"You know I always did wonder where they came from" Harry wondered

"Your grandfather" Lily commented offhandedly

"**And bright-green eyes."**

"You know I really do love those eyes." James whispered "You can just get so lost in them … "James trailed off

"Guys … GET ME AWAY FROM MY DAD" Harry shrieked

"**He wore round glasses held together by a lot of Sellotape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose."**

The Marauders started growling. Sounding very much like their animagus'.

"**The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He had had it as long as he could remember and the first question he could ever remember asking his aunt was how he had got it.  
"In the car crash when your parents died," **

"What? We didn't die in a car crash! TELL HIM THE TRUTH PETUNIA!"

**She had said. "And don't ask questions." Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursley's.  
Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. "Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting"**

"HA! Good luck with that!" Sirius howled

"What?" James and Harry asked pouting. This only made them laugh harder.

Pouting James continued reading.

"**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut.**

**Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way - all over the place."**

"Be proud of it son! No hair like it!"

"I only like it because it annoys Uncle Vernon"

"**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large, pink face, not muck neck, small, watery blue eyes and thick, blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel –"**

"Yer right"

"**Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig."**

At this everyone one burst out laughing. They couldn't stop for a good 10 minutes.

"I see Harry inherited the Marauder wit!" sniggered Remus.

"Ooh I wonder what ever happened to our Map"

"Yeah The Marauder's Map"

"Do you by any chance mean this map?" Harry asked innocently bringing out a scrap piece of parchment

"Yey my son has the map" James cheered

"Hey isn't that the same piece of parchment that insulted me?" Severus asked

"Moving on …

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley meanwhile was counting his presents. Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

"WHAT?? That piece of lard gets more presents than me" Draco exclaimed

"Really?" Ron asked

"Not that hard to believe actually I haven't got many relatives."

"Yeah and you'll have less once I'm through with your aunt Bellatrix trust me" Harry growled a truly evil look in his eye.

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."**

"Ahh I forgot he still called them Mummy and Daddy back then"

**"All right then, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over."**

"Nice pun" muttered Remus

**  
"Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?" Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. **

"Bet it was"

**Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty ... "Thirty nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia."Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."  
Uncle Vernon chuckled.  
"Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a cine-camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games and a video recorder. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone, looking both angry and worried.**

"Good look for her then." Lily grumbled

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." **

"He has a name you know." Said James quietly glaring at the book in his hands.

"**She jerked her head in Harry's direction. Dudley's mouth fell open in horror but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday his parents took him and a friend to, adventure parks, hamburger bars or the cinema. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at all the cats she'd ever owned."**

"Oh joy! Lucky boy!"

"Shut up Sirius, not in the mood" growled James

"Sorry"

**  
"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, My Paws and Tufty again. **

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

**"Don't be silly Vernon, she hates the boy." **

"His name is Harry H-A-R-R-Y. Come on say it with me HARRY!" James looked extremely pissed off as he said this.

"Um… Guys? Do you think the book is safe in his hands? He looks like he's trying to rip it in two?" Lily Whispered.

Everyone looked at each other, a second later there was a loud ripping noise and they whipped around to face James, who was looking murderous with the two halves of the book in his hands and a look of fury in his eyes.

"Umm. I wouldn't say so, but you know that's just a guess." Ron commented

"_Reparo" _Remus pointed his wand at the book "_Expelliarmus"_ The book flew over to Remus. "I Think I'll continue reading from now on. Okay James?"

James didn't seam to hear him because he was to busy muttering to himself.

"**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug. **

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?" **

**"On holiday in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia. **

**"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer.)  
Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. "And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled."**

"Do it Harry! Just to piss them off!" Sirius was jumping on his seat at the very thought.

**"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening."**

"NOOOOO!" Sirius howled, effectively snapping James out of his mutterings.

"Huh what?"**  
**

**"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "... and leave him in the car ..." **

"**That car's new; he's not sitting in it alone ..." Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact he wasn't really crying, it had been years since he'd really cried, but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted. "Dinky Duddydums,"**

Everyone started snickering

"**Don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him "  
I ... don't ... want ... him ... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms."**

"Now everyone knows why I do not like the Dursley family" Harry said glaring at Dumbledore

"It was the best choice at the time"

"No" Harry spat "No it wasn't" Dumbledore looked ashamed

"**Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, Good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother."**

"Nice name" sneered Remus

"**Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. **

"Hey I resent that" Peter exclaimed

**He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life."**

'Oh my poor boy" Lily was on the verge of tears.

"His** aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside. 'I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas." **

"Get your disgusting face away from Harry's you great pig!" erupted Lily

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly ..." But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No ever did."**

"After the shenanigans that you get up to here?" Snape asked shocked "It's no wonder."

"FYI I didn't know I was a wizard back then"

"**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursley's he didn't make them happen."**

"It's because you're a wizard Harry!" Lily said softly

"I know mum"

"**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barber's looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his fringe, which she left 'to hide that horrible scar'. Dudley laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and his Sellotape glasses. Next morning, however, he had got up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off." **

"Hmm … I wonder, was that accidental magic or am I a Metamorphagus?" Harry voiced his thoughts

"**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this," **

"WHAT?" bellowed Lily and James.

"**Even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly. Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old jumper of Dudley's (brown with orange bobbles).**

Everyone screwed up their face. "Uck"

**The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a glove puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished. On the other hand, he'd got into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens."**

"**Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual" **

"Think happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts…" James shut his eye tight "Imagine cursing him to seventh hell… turning him into a pig or a whale… not that it'll be a huge difference…"

"Him sprouting green horns…" added Sirius

"Make him swell up like a balloon!" Moony supplied

Harry, who was taking a drink at the moment, choked and spluttered, whilst Ron started laughing.

"Anyway if you're finished may we continue?"

"Ummm… wait one more minute" James said his eyes still shut imagining thinks happening to Dudley. "Ummm… right done!"

"Yep me too!" Moony smiled

"Nope… nearly… got it!" Sirius snapped his fingers. "You can continue."

"**when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney The Dursley's had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big bins outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump." **

"Yay go on son you apparated"

"Flew" Sirius sniggered

"Apparated"

"Flew"

"Apparated"

"Flew"

"Apparated"

"Flew"

"SHUT UP" Severus wailed

"YES, SHUT UP! IT DOESN'T MATTER IF HE FLEW OR APPAPERATED!" Lily screamed, "Just get on with the story please." She said sweetly but her eyes dared anyone to disobey

"**But today, nothing was going to go wrong it was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living-room.**

Hermione cringed

"Ew cabbage ew ew ew cabbage, no cabbage will not take over the world for I shall create giant slugs to eat you all!!"

Everyone minus Harry looked at her weirdly

"Mione" Harry whispered "Cabbage will not take over the world, because cabbage is a vegetable, so unless we let Hagrid near them with his umbrella, you don't need to worry" He soothed

"Promise?"

"Promise" he repeated firmly

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry,**

"He already said that"

"I think Rowling's trying to make a point." Remus said

"Oh"

**The bank and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorbikes. **

**"... Roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, **

**As a motorbike overtook them. **

**"I had a dream about a motorbike," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying." **

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beetroot with a moustache, "MOTORBIKES DON'T FLY!" Dudley and Piers snickered. "I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

"SHUT UP HARRY! Don't make it worst for yourself honey." Cooed Lily

"Listen to your mother Harry, she's right."

"Whipped" Sirius snickered to the room.

"**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursley's hated more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even in a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas. It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with people. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice-creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice lolly." **

"That's SO kind of them! Really SO considerate" Sirius mocked

"Potter I hereby retract all my future statements" Snape said "Except fifth year" Snape added as an afterthought

"**It wasn't bad either,"**

"Good boy! Always look on the bright side!" Lily smiled

"But Mummy" Harry whimpered pitifully "Lemon ice lolly's are yellow they always have a bright side"

Lily stared, and stared, and stared.

Then she burst out laughing.

"Okay" Remus said

"Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head and looking remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond."

Everyone cracked up laughing at this

"Way to go Harry!" James and Sirius High-Fived.

"Just dress it up and take it home… no one will know the difference."

"If it was just that easy" Harry muttered "I'd have to train him to talk and everything."

"**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursley's so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbockers glory wasn't big enough, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. Harry felt, afterwards, that he should have known it was all too good to last." **

"No, oh, my poor baby" Wailed Lily flinging herself on James.

James just looked at Sirius and Moony "What do I do?" He mouthed

"Pat her on the back" mouthed Moony "And say there. No don't move STAY I SAID!"

"Ha ha daddy's a dog"

"And don't do anything stupid!" mouthed Sirius smirking

After a few minutes Lily let go of James and told them to continue.

"**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in here, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car, and crushed it into a dustbin"**

"And once around Uncle Vernon…" Remus said

"But only half around Dudley." Finished Sirius

"**- but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. "Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. "Do it again," Dudley ordered Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on. "This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself - no company except people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard for a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up - at least he got to visit the rest of the house. The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were level with Harry's."**

"Um. Guy's is that normal snake behavior?" Lily moaned

"Well… um… yer… maybe… hopefully… probably not… NO" Stammered Sirius

"**It winked. Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too."**

"No don't encourage it!" Moaned Sirius

"Hey" Harry, Remus, McGonagall, Hermione, Ron and Draco rounded on him

Harry continued "I am not a dark wizard okay" he spat glaring at Sirius

"**The snake jerked its head towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time." "I know," Harry, murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." The snake nodded vigorously."**

"Okay… this is fine…" Lily started to hyperventilate. "My. Son. Can. Talk. To. Snakes. No. Problem. Right guys?" Lily looked at the others.

"Nup no problem at all" Harry said

"Where do you get it from?" James ask "Did you learn or … what?"

"I believe we have our favorite Moldy Pants to thank for it"

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked. The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.  
Boa Constrictor, Brazil. "Was it nice there?" The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?" As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" **

"Ahh no! It's a moron RUNNNNNN!" Ron screamed

"**Dudley came waddling towards them as fast as he could. **

"That's an insult to Penguins" Albus muttered "And penguins are my favorite animal"

"Blame Rowling not me"

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor." **

James and Sirius started to growl

"**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened" **

"YES, YES?" cried James and Sirius hopping up and down

"**- One second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror. Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished." **

"HELL YER!" Cried James and Sirius Punching thin air

"**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out on to the floor - people throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits. As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come ... Thanksss, amigo." The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.  
"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?" **

"Well, it's quite simple really… during the young wizard's early life… sometimes when their surprised, angry, scared or happy they tend to do things that they don't mean too or accidental magic." Stated Remus

"Thank you Professor Binns!" said Sirius mock saluting Remus.

Harry shuddered

"**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death." **

"Wish it did, then I'd pick on Dudley"

"**But, worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?" **

"Ahh I forgot it was him who told on me, stupid bitch"

"**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking in to the kitchen for some food." **

"Gee… I wonder what other Potter does that?" Sirius mock-wondered

"Who? ME? Never!" James said pouting "Anyway I don't need to. You always have enough stashed under your bed!"

"WHAT! YOU"VE BEEN TAKING MY STASH? I THOUGHT THAT WAS WORMTAIL! I even jinxed him because of it." Sirius said on an after thought "Oh well… you owe me Prongsie!"

Pettigrew, Harry noticed was looking extremely hurt.

"**He'd lived with the Dursley's almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all." **

A pin drop could have been heard after that.

"James… theirs only one curse that is green isn't there…" Lily trailed off tears in her eyes.

"Oh my god… Harry survived the killing curse… my son survived…" James looked proud but also sad.

"Uhh duh, why do you think I'm called the boy who lived?"

"You couldn't remember us?" he whispered

"No offense but did you really expect me to? I was 15 month old for Christ sake."

Lily began to cry

"There, there Lily flower, it'll get better… you'll see." Sirius patted Lily on the back

"Yer… this is only the beginning…" Remus looked at James motioning with his head to Lily.

"Yer Lily it'll get better" James said taking Sirius's place and hugged Lily. "Do you want to finish this chapter?"

"Yes, yes of course go on Remus"

**His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house. When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursley's were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too."**

"Their probably wizards Harry… Be nice to them! They might be your future teacher and you don't want them to hold a grudge BEFORE you go to Hogwarts! More fun after!" Laughed Sirius

"And you know this how…?" Lily asked

"Well he obviously pissed off a teacher before Hogwarts, which one was it Siri?" Moony asked

"Professor Parker" he muttered "I kind of pulled a really big prank on him, not going into details"

"**A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking woman dressed in all green has waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple cloak had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day then walked away without another word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look. At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang."**

"That's the end guys." Remus said shutting the book.

"Bugger…"

"You know I really want sleep" Draco yawned "And food"

"Sound's like a plan" everyone agreed

**_Thank you everyone that has reviewed! Hope you're enjoying it! Please R&R_**

**_P.S: I am soo sorry it's taken me like forever to update. I've been busy with coursework and stuff but hopefully I can have another chapter up today. Ohh and I probably include review responses next chap if I remember_**

**_Crossfire.Technicalites.x_**

**_A note from Emerald.VS.Silver – If you enjoy your characters to be in character and if you like everything to be plain and sensible the best thing to do is to stop reading…this story is going to be funny and all the characters are going to be way out of character but hey it's only a fan fiction and it matches the writers personality._**


	5. Let's Learn Some Home Truth's

James was sound asleep dreaming about travelling into the future with Lily, Sirius and Remus and meeting Harry and funnily enough turning Petunia's bunny orange

When morning arose many secrets where discovered.

Harry when not rushing ate sensibly as did his Father and Snape.

Ron and Sirius always ate like food was going to be taken away from them.

Remus ate the same as he did all those years ago, reflected in Moony they both ate as much of the meaty substances they could and hated Pumpkin Juice with a fury.

Lily and Draco were both late-risers and were all snarky and awful until they got their morning coffee.

McGonagall, Hermione, Peter and Albus all awoke early and were far too chipper and hyperactive.

"Alas, now that we are all fed and watered what's to say we continue the book? Who would like to read?" asked Albus the twinkle turned on full blast.

"I will" Harry volunteered

"Oh great Potter's voice first thing in the morning aren't we lucky?" Draco drawled

"Touchy… **Chapter Three. The Letters from No One!"**

"Hold on, who do think wrote all those letters? Peeves? My hand was hurting for two days after all of those dammed things"

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new cine-camera, crashed his remote-control aeroplane and, first time on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches." **

"That monstrosity! That inhuman Creature!" Lily cried in outrage

"He's the product of your sister and Vernon what do you think he's going to be?" asked Remus

Lily stayed silent. A sad look passing through her eyes

"**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcom and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader." **

"Just like in the Ministry! I can't believe Fudge got voted as Minister! We're gonna go to the dogs." Moony muttered darkly.

'Hey!'

'Sorry Pads, We're gonna go to the donkeys'

"Here here" agreed Lily

"Dude what do you think it's like living under his reign now?" Ron said

"**The rest of them were quite happy to join in Dudley's favourite sport: Harry-hunting."**

"I swear Duds touch one hair on his head and I'll…" James let the sentence die but not before cracking his knuckles.

"**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had a place at Uncle Vernon's old school, Smeltings, Piers Polkiss was going there, too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local comprehensive. Dudley thought this was very funny. "They stuff people's heads down the toilet first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"  
"No thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick."**

Everyone burst out laughing, well almost everyone. Snape mouth was tilted up at the corners. Could that be counted as a corner?

"**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs Figg's. Mrs Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one her cats and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years." **

"Are all old people like that or is it just all the ones I know?" asked Lily

"Yer, I knew a chap who always offered me a sandwich. They always taste like old socks." Remus shuddered at the thought

"**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living-room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers" **

The guys snickered at that. "Oh Grow up" snapped Lily trying to stop the corners of her lips from lifting.

"**and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life."**

"Sure I can see that" shrugged Sirius

"Oh yeah, new generation of thugs right there in training"

**"As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe her Ickle Dudleykins,"**

Lily gaped at the audacity of her sister. Then burst out laughing

"**He looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.'**

'Here, here! He's already thinking like his godfather!' Sirius beamed

'His godfather? No way he's thinking like his father'

'Godfather'

'Father'

Godfather'

'Father'

Godfather'

'Father'

Godfather'

'Father'

Godfather'

James suddenly pounced on Sirius.

'Tea Lily?' Remus asked Lily ignoring the others.

"So erm … yeah were they always like this?" asked Ron

"Oh this and worse you get used to it" Moony replied

"Is it safe to leave them like that?" asked Lily

"Yeah sure watch this, Harry read" Remus said

"**There was a horrible smell"**

James and Sirius stopped fighting and listened to the story.

"Heh heh see" Remus shouted

"**in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in grey water. "What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.  
"Your new school uniform," she said. Harry looked in the bowl again.  
"Oh," he said. "I didn't realise it had to be so wet."**

"Looks like he has the brains of ol'prongsies my dear Moony." Sirius said solemnly.

"Merlin help the little reproduction. He'll need it." Replied Moony

"Hey!" James pouted chucking some cushions at Moony and Sirius.

"Guys don't talk about me when I'm right here okay" Harry growled

**  
"Don't be stupid," snapped aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things grey for you. It'll look like everyone else's when I've finished." Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High - like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably. Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smeltings stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.  
They heard the click of the letter-box and flop of letters on the doormat. "Get the post, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.  
"Make Harry get it."  
"Get the post, Harry." **

**"Make Dudley get it."**

**"Poke him with your Smeltings stick, Dudley."**

"Ugly bastard"

"Fat twat"

"Lazy .. thing!" Snape said

Everyone looked around to him weirdly "What I couldn't think of an insult good enough" he defended himself with.

**'Harry dodged the Smeltings stick and went to get the post. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was holidaying on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and - a letter for Harry.'**

"Ohh I know what it is" James smiled

"Umm … what it is" Sirius asked

"Sirius, listen, when Harry was one he defeated Voldemort, and now it's ten years later. Do you know what young people get at the age of eleven if they have a magical ability?" Moony asked patronizingly

"Ohh . HOGWART'S LETTERS"

"That's right Siri' have a dog biscuit" Remus said in the same sort of voice as his past counterpart

Everyone laughed

'**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would?**

**He had no friends, no other relatives - he didn't belong to the library so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet, here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

**Mr H. Potter  
the Cupboard under the Stairs  
4 Privet Drive  
Little Whinging  
Surrey **

'Ha, Dumbledore never misses a thing does he!' Moony said fondly

'You'd think that if he knew that Harry slept under the stairs that SOMETHING WAS WRONG?' Lily bellowed the last part.

"Hey, yeah that reminds me" Harry muttered "Gotta get back into that cupboard"

No one even heard him and for that he was glad.

'**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.'**

'Why would there be a stamp? Owls don't need stamps… umm… what is a stamp?' Draco said this extremely fast.

'Well you moron… Harry grew up with Muggles so he's not use to owl mail."

"Yeah that was obvious but what's a stamp?"

"It's a small square bit of sticky paper that goes on the corner of a muggle letter so that it shows the post-man the person sending the card or whatever has paid"

"Well that's just stupid" Draco and Ron muttered.

Needless to say they looked horrified

'**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'.**

**"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter-bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.'**

'Oh really witty!' Muttered James rolling his eyes

'A real comedian here gents… Lily and Minerva as well' Sirius bowed to them.

'**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter.'**

'No, no, no you great twit! Open it out there! Don't show them your letter. He is defiantly YOUR son James.' Lily moaned

'What what did I do?' James asked flabbergasted

"Potter you breathed air" Severus muttered

"Severus" Harry admonished. Then threw his hands over his mouth as he had let part of his and Severus' secret out.

Anyone who was drinking spat their beverage out.

"What?!" Sirius shouted

"Umm … nothing slip of the tongue was all" Harry looked mightily embarrassed

'**He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.'**

'Hurry up Harry, don't wait for the grass to grow.' Lily urged

'What's the rush Lily?' Remus asked

'**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust and flipped over the postcard.**

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk ..."  
"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

'That's what's wrong… definatly James son.' Lily grumbled under her breath. James stuck his tongue out at her. She stuck her's out right back at him.

"Now now children" Dumbledore chuckled

'**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.'** '**That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.  
"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it.'**

'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that's who!' Sirius said smugly.

'**His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the greyish white of old porridge."P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

"Die Die Die" Harry chanted

"Now Harry you know you can't think ill of your family"

"Screw you" Harry said "What kind of family are they really" Harry looked up tears in his eyes. "You don't know the half of what they've done to me" he spat venomously. He glanced at Severus, the quick wink he gave back calming Harry down.

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise. "Vernon! Oh my goodness - Vernon!"**

'Choke, choke, choke!' chanted the guys

'That's my sister your talking about.' Mocked Lily. 'She can't choke till we've finished pranking her and her "family"'

'Aww' Whined Sirius and Harry

'**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smeltings stick.'**

'Brat'

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly.  
"I want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine." **

'GO HARRY!' cheered everyone

**"Get out both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.  
Harry didn't move.  
"I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.'**

'SHOW HIM WHO'S BOSS'

HARRY, HARRY, HARRY!' Sung Remus and Sirius and Moony

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.  
"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them.'**

'Guess he's boss 'ay James.' Muttered Lily

''ah shudup.' He grumbled

'**Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole;'**

'Harry. Harry, Harry'

**Dudley won,**

Sirius looked at Lily. 'Add away dear prankster' Lily mock bowed.

'**So Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between the door and the floor.'**

"Least I know he's not a complete lost cause James" Sirius said brightly

"Screw you" he said imitating his son

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address - how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"  
"Watching - spying - might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly. **

"Like we don't have better things to do with our time" Muttered Minerva

**"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want - "**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.  
"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer ... yes, that's best ... we won't do anything ..." **

'That'll help HEAPS'

'Oh yer… Dumbledore's quaking in his boots now.'

**"But -"  
"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out all that dangerous nonsense?"**

'Stamp out" Harry muttered "Oh so now they fucking say stamp out, dickheads, no of course in the book it's gotta be in nice terms don't it. Fucking dickheads I'll show them stamping out" he shouted out the last part.

No one noticed the pleading look in Severus' eyes.

'**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

"You mean he … he fit?" asked Moony and Peter**  
**

**"Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door.'  
"Who's writing to me?"  
"No on. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it."**

**"It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily. "It had my cupboard on it."**

"Yeah like that's anything to be proud of Potter" Malfoy sneered

"Woah I'd completely forgot I'd argued like that with him … can't believe he didn't stamp me out"

"What.The.Hell do you mean by that" Lily asked an angry growl in the back of her throat

"Oh umm nothing." Harry muttered ****

"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.'

'Hope his face cracks' Sirius prayed

"**Er – yes, Harry – about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking you're really getting a bit big for it … we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."**

"**Why?" said Harry.**

"**Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now."  
The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia,'**

'Information overload… didn't wanna know that.' Cried James slapping his hands over his ears.

'Somebody burn my ears off… please' Sirius looked around pleadingly.

"No you guys can suffer for once" Harry said smugly

"What do you mean for once, gods Harry how many times have you heard them do it?" Hermione exclaimed

"It's not so much as heard it bound to chair and made to watch" Harry said thoughtfully "Makes me glad I'm gay" he added as an afterthought

Everyone's mouth dropped to the floor. Before Ron turned an ugly shade of red then slapped Harry before kissing him. Harry's eyes widened before he violently pushed Ron off of him and ran around screaming finally jumping into someone's lap. To everyone's surprise he jumped into Severus' and stayed there. Not moving at all.

Poke. Poke. Prod. Stab.

"Stop it" Harry muttered

"Dude your in Snape's lap" James said

"So" Harry Replied his tone making it clear no one argues with him.

Sirius coughed. 'Right anyway… **One for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into Dudley's first bedroom.**

Harry could be heard muttering (after he had finishe the reading of course) "I want my cupboard back Sev' it was the one place he couldn't fit, I mean sure he would always drag me out but I could always be safe in my cupboard I want it back Sev'"

"I know Harry I know but you know he won't let you he enjoys the open space and baby I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do" Snape replied

"Woah woah woah lemme get this straight" Hermione said "Has Severus-I'm-The-Big-Greasy-Haired-Bat-Of-The-Dungeons-Snape just called Harry baby?"

"Yeah Hermione he has and I swear you give either of them any grief, any of you, I will hurt you I will hurt you a lot" growled Remus

"Harry I'm afraid that we cannot allow Teacher-Student relationships" Dumbles said gravely

Harry looked up with an anger so harsh in his eyes that nearly everyone except Severus and Remus flinched.

"Oh yeah well guess what Dumble-Bee I'm afraid that I cannot allow my uncle beating me so I guess I'll be going with Remus this summer okay?"

Dumbledore just stared. Then shook his head. So Harry and Remus hexed him.

The other's laughed Dumbledore was now in a pink tutu with bright blue hair.

**It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard into his room. He sat down on the bed and stared around him.**

**Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old cine-camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over next door's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favourite programme had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air-rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it.**

**Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.**

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother: "I don't want him in there ... I need that room ... make him get out ..."**

'Whatta baby.'

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed.  
Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet.**

**Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smeltings stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof and he still didn't have his room back.'**

'**Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly. When the post arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smeltings stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! Mr H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive - "**

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind.'**

'Yay Harry!'

'Oh don't hurt yourself sweetie!' moaned Lily's grabbing Moony's hand and squeezing. James glared at Moony. He swallowed and smiled weakly.

'**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smeltings stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.**

**Go to your cupboard - I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley - go - just go."**

**Harry walked round and round his room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.'**

'Yes!' Sirius punched the air

'Dude I came up with this plan are you really sure it's going to work?"

Sirius seemed to be thinking about it … then he nodded.

The other's just stared

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursley's. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.**

"Did your plan work?" Malfoy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, shame really, I thought it was a rather good plan." Harry answered

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first.**

**His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall towards the front door -  
"AAAAARRRGH!"**

Ron jumped as Hermione imitated the scream.

**Harry leapt into the air - he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat - something alive!**

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realised that the big squashy something had been his uncle's face. Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do.**

**He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen, and by the time he got back, the post had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.**

**"I want -" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes.**

"Bloody Muggle, doesn't understand that we won't give up on Harry Potter." McGonagall said glaring at nothing in particular.

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the letter-box.**

"Like that's going to work!" said Ron. "We have post owls!"

**See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver, they'll just give up."**

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**

**"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruit cake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**

**On Friday, no fewer than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the letter-box they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs toilet.**

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again.**

**After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed 'Tiptoe through the Tulips' as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living-room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food mixer.**

**"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

"Oh, how about, the whole entire wizarding world." Malfoy glared at the book, the immense surprise of the Golden Trio.

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.  
"No post on Sunday's," he reminded them happily as he spread marmalade on his newspapers,**

**"No damn letters today -"**

"That's what you think!" said Ron. The other teenagers and McGonagall nodded in agreement.

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursley's ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one -**

"Come one, catch one and read it!' exclaimed Ron, crossing his fingers and jumping up.

**"Out! OUT!" Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall.**

"Hey!" exclaimed Hermione, her eyes flashing with dislike.

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

**"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his moustache at the same time. "I want you all back here in five ­**

**minutes, ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"**

"I would have argued." Malfoy said leaning back on the back legs of his chair. Snape reached over and pulled the chair back onto its four legs roughly.

**He looked so dangerous with half his moustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding towards the motorway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, video and computer in his sports bag.**

"Lard," Malfoy muttered attempting to lean back in his chair and pouted when he realised that his Godfather had spelled the chair to the floor.

**They drove. And they drove.** **Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turning and drive in the opposite direction for a while.**

**"Shake 'em off ... shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

"And they actually this would work, do they not understand that we can do virtually anything, within reason of course." McGonagall snapped out in annoyance.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day.**

**By nightfall Dudley was howling.**

**He'd never had such a bad day in his life.**

"Welcome to Harry's world!" said Hermione sarcastically.

**He was hungry, he'd missed five television programmes he'd wanted to see and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

"Um...Television programmes?" Ron asked with an extremely puzzled look on his face.

"I'll tell you later Ron; it's far too complicated to get into now anyway." Hermione said shifting the book from one hand to the other.

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the window-sill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering...**

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.**

**"'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."**

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

"Why green?" Ron asked.

"That happens to be one of my favourite colours Mr. Weasley. In any case, would anybody like a lemon drop?" Dumbledore asked with a serene smile upon his face. They all shook their heads, and Dumbledore just shrugged and began to choose a perfect one.

**Mr. H. Potter  
Room 17  
Railview Hotel  
Cokeworth**

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.  
"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon quickly, standing up quickly and following her from the dining-room.**

"That's illegal. Only the recipitant of the letter is allowed to open the letters, you could sue him Harry," Hermione said with a mischievous smile on his face.

"No thanks, that would be all over the Prophet in no time, even if I sue him in the Muggle world." Harry answered.

**"Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car and off they went again.**

**The same thing happened in the middle of a ploughed field, halfway across a suspension bridge and at the top of a multi-storey car park.**

"He's gone mutters!" muttered Ron.

"Oh no," Hermione said, "He's always been bonkers. Just something like this can bring out the worst in people."

**"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car and disappeared.  
It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled.**

**"It's Monday," he told his mother.**

"Wow, he knows the days of the week!" said Snape sarcastically, speaking up from his silence.

**"The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television."  
Monday.**

**This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday -and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days of the week,**

"But very little else," added Malfoy.  
The others snickered.

**because of television - then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday.**

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun -last year, the Dursley's had given him a coat-hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

"Oh Harry," Hermione muttered hugging her best friend, "Do they even remember?" she asked.

"I don't think they did that year, especially with what happens next."

**Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling.**

**He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

**"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"  
It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out to sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain; there was no television in there.**

**"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowing boat bobbing in the iron-grey water below them.**

"Oh, my." McGonagoll murmured.

**"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces.**

**After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house**.

"Does it fall down?" Malfoy asked with a sneer, obviously imagining sleeping in the hut.

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls and the fire-place was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.**

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a packet of crisps each and four bananas. He tried to start a fire but the empty crisp packets just smoked and shrivelled up.**

"The glories of Magic." Harry murmured with a small smile.

"**Could do with some of those letters now eh?" he said cheerfully.**

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver post.**

"Yeah right," muttered Ron.

**Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. pray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows.**

**Aunt Petunia found a few mouldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could find and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

"Child abuse." McGonagall pointed out, "Pure child abuse."

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger.**

**Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight.**

**The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time.**

**He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursley's would remember at all,**

**wondering where the letter-writer was now.**

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside.**

**He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in,**

"WHAT!" exclaimed Hermione and Ron.

"Don't worry, it won't," said Harry.

**although it might be warmer if it did. Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.**

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that?**

**And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise?**

Hermione's voice quivered slightly, before clearing her throat and carrying on with the book.

**Was the rock crumbling into the sea?**

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds ... twenty seconds ... ten - nine - maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him -**

"I would." Malfoy stated.

**three - two - one -**

"Happy birthday Harry," Hermione whispered.

**BOOM.**

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

"Who on earth would that be? And how on earth would they have gotten to it in the storm?" Ron asked frowning in thought.

3333

Hey All I once again am so sorry that I've taken so long again I'm currently going for one update a month maybe two updates if I don't get weighed down with coursework again. And for those slash haters I swear it won't be a BIG slash there will be a few kisses of course but it won't be any major make out scenes I swear.

Ohh and I'm hoping to get a one shot up of why Harry and Snape are together.

Review Responses. :

HPrincess : Hehe Story updation here you go

Slytheringirlandproud : Akk Noo . I mean I've read a couple but I wouldn't be able to write one no way .

Severussgrl : I don't really know , Put it down to teenage slang lol

Emerald.Vs.Silver : Meh of course one of 'em's gotta be like me don't you think ?? ;

World Peace : Thank you so much for sticking with this I mean it's only basically in opening stages but you've still sticked with it Thank You.

DeliaDee : Hehe Thanks That's what I was going for

HeavyMetal-Chic : Hehe an Update for you too


	6. Harry Learns The Truth

Once Hermione gained control of the book she settled herself into her favorite reading position so that she would be comfortable

Once Hermione gained control of the book she settled herself into her favorite reading position so that she would be comfortable.

"Okay, here we go"

**CHAPTER FOUR  
THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS **

"Hey!" exclaimed Ron. "That's Hagrid, isn't it?"

"Yes Ronald." Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.

**BOOM.**

**They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.  
"Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.**

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands.**

**Now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

**"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you - I'm armed!"**

**There was a pause. Then -**

**SMASH!**

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.**

**A giant of a man was standing in the doorway.**

"Go Hagrid!" Ron shouted and leaned forward in his chair staring at the book with eager eyes.

**His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair. The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.**

**"Couldn't make a cup o' tea could yeh? It's not been an easy journey ..."**

"Typical of Hagrid," muttered McGonagall, "It's pouring out, and he asks if he can have a cup of tea!"

"Ahh but my dear Minerva, he does make you laugh" chuckled Dumbledore

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

**"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified behind Uncle Vernon.**

**"An' here's Harry!" said the giant.**

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

**"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yeh dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."**

"That was the first time I ever heard that that, now people won't stop saying it," Harry murmured looking down at his hands which rested in his lap.

Everyone minus the past people, glared at Peter. He gulped and looked away.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.  
"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"**

**"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant.**

**He reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.**

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

"I hate mice and rats," The red head growled with a clenched jaw, "I'll never forget that damn Pettigrew."

"Hey!" exclaimed Sirius, James and Moony "Leave him alone" They growled

"No if i want to insult him I will. It's his fault you guys aren't there" He said this calmly without a hint of emotion in his voice.

**"Anyway - Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursley's, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here - I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing?**

"Why green icing?" wondered Ron. "Hagrid, couldn't you have made it red or gold icing? Even blue or yellow would be better."

"Now why would he do that?" Draco asked "Green is the best color out there"

"Is Not"

"Is Too"

"Your children all of you children"

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"**

"Harry Potter!" Hermione scolded. "you could be bit more polite!"

"Well, he meant to be," said Ron with a shrug.

"Oh come on Hermione, I was eleven and there was this big giant man that has just told me he knew my parent's! Can't you let me be a little bit more shocked?" he asked frustrated that his life was being revealed like this.

Hermione sent him an apologetic glance.

**The giant chuckled.**

**"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."  
He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.**

"You know that actually really hurt, my arm was aching after that for like a week"

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."**

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shrivelled crisp packets in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warm rush over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.**

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy packet of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs and a bottle of some amber liquid which he took a swig from before starting to make tea.**

"Mead!" said the boys.  
McGonagall looked disproving. "Typical Hagrid! At least he only took one swig and not several."

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage.**

**Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little.**

**Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

**The giant chuckled darkly.  
"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' any more, Dursley, don' worry."**

"That's for sure," Malfoy muttered looking up from the floor "At least he said something everyone could agree with"

Harry passed a calm calculating gaze over Malfoy and noticed his dejected behavior. He nudged Severus and nodded in Draco's direction. Severus took the hint.

Draco was surprised when he left his godfather move to sit next to him again. He smiled gratefully and gave him a quick hug.

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant.**

"It was rude to stare, Harry," commented Hermione.

"So I was eleven for Merlin's sake"

**Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."  
The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.**

**"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."**

**"Er - no," said Harry.**

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

McGonagall was shocked and clenching her fists around her wand.

Albus was shaking his head sadly.

Ron and Hermione were glaring at Dumbles and the book in turn.

Severus and Draco were acting indifferent but you could tell that Severus was furious.

And the Marauder's and Lily looked scared. Scared at the revelations they were being faced with in this time. And they were even more scared about the fact that this whole thing was less than four years away.

**"Sorry," Harry said quickly.**

**"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursley's, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?"**

**"All what?" asked Harry.**

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"**

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursley's were cowering against the wall.**

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursley's, "that this boy - this boy - knows nothin' abou' - about ANYTHING?"**

"Don't worry mate, Hagrid was there to explain everything." Ron patted Harry's shoulder sympathetically.

Harry growled low in his throat. He _HATED_ sympathy

**Harry thought this was going a bit far.**

**He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad.  
"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do maths and stuff.**

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."**

**"What world?"**

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed.  
Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like 'Mimblewimble'.**

"Is that even a word?" asked Hermione mentally going through the dictionary she had stored in her brain.

"Who knows," answered Ron, shrugging.

**Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.  
"But yeh must know about yer mum and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."**

**"What? My - my mum and dad weren't famous, were they?"**

"**Yeh don' know ... yeh don' know ..." Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.  
"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.**

"I was a little scared when he said that, I could have been anything from the way Hagrid said it." Harry commented with a wry grin.

"Yeah bet you were hoping you were some sort of mythical creature" Draco commented with a smirk.

"Well yeah Duh! I mean come on if I was a Vampire or something do you know how awesome that would be and how much I could scare my relatives" He laughed

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

**"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"**

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

**"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"**

"You know I still never found out what was in that letter"

**"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.  
Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

**"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid.**

"Ah...The mental images that phrase brings up." Malfoy closed his eyes picturing something for a second.

**"Harry - yer a wizard."**

**There was a silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.  
"I'm a what?"**

"Honestly Potter, Not a What a Wizard" Severus sneered

"Screw You Sevvi"

"Love you too brat"

"You know you do"

**"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

"About time!" exclaimed Hermione and Ron together, they shot each other a look and they both blushed and settled down. Harry snickered.

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor,**

"Woah wait" James said "The letter clearly states, THE FLOOR, how did you know notice that?"

"James I'm sorry"

"Save it old man"

**Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chr. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

"The amount of times I have requested that my title be shortened as to not scare the first years, I dare not count." Dumbledore commented with a small smile.

**Dear Mr. Potter,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress**

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled out an owl -**

"How many pockets does Hagrid's coat have?" asked Ron.  
"One hundred and thirteen." Hermione blushed before adding, "I asked him."

**a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl - a long quill and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note which Harry could read upside down:**

_**Dear Mr. Dumbledore,**_

Harry started snickering. He couldn't help it, he knew Hagrid respected Dumbledore but man that was just too much.

"Haha that made me laugh"

"That Mr. Potter is called respect" sneered Snape

"I show you all the respect you deserve though Sevvie" Harry said innocently

"Of course Harry, you keep believing that"

_**Given Harry his letter. Taking him to buy his things tomorrow. Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.  
Hagrid.**_

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was normal as talking on the telephone.**

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

**"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

**"He's not going," he said.**

"As if you could stop him!' snapped Draco. "So shut up, Dursley!"

**Hagrid grunted.  
"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.**

**"A what?" said Harry, interested.**

**"A Muggle," said Hagrid. "It's what we call non-magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."**

**"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard, indeed!"**

**"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a - a wizard?"**

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was?**

"Spiteful woman," Snape said his hand itching to grab his wand and go show Mrs Dursley just why she shouldn't insult a wizard or witch in this case.

**Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that - that school - and came home every holiday with her pockets full of frog-spawn, turning teacups into rats.**

"Wouldn't you have been expelled for that, it would have been underage wizardry?" Hermione asked Lily

"I got special permission" she replied

**I was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak**

"I am not a freak. You're the freak I mean come on have you seen your face?"

James, Moony and Sirius cheered who knew Lily could be so bitchy?

**But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"**

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed like she had been wanting to say all this for years.**

**"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be the same, just as strange, just as - as - abnormal - and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

**Harry had gone very white.**

Ron and Hermione each put a hand on Harry's shoulders and squeezed him to make sure he was alright. Lily got up and hugged him.

"I'm fine" he muttered

**As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid,**

"CAR CRASH!!" Screamed McGonagall "They told you they dies in a Car Crash?!"

"Calm down I found out the truth didn't I?"

**jumping so angrily that the Dursley's scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!"**

"You never told us that it was Hagrid that told you what happened." Ron said calmly. Harry shrugged and went back to staring at the book.

**"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.**

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.  
"I never expected this," he said in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh - but someone's gotta - yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'"**

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursley's.**

"**Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh - mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it ..."**

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with - with a person called - but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows -"**

"Voldemort," Harry murmured.

"Do not say his name." Snape hissed.

"Now Severus, what have I told you about this? I got rid of your Dark Mark you are no longer bound to him" Harry nearly screamed

Everyone was shocked into silence.

"Harry you … you what?" Lily asked

"I got rid of Sevvi's Dark Mark!"

"Stop with the Sevvie!"

"How the hell did you manage that" Sirius asked

"Meh just shouted at the bastard thing. In parseltonuge of course"

"And that's it? It's just that simple" Now Peter was asking.

"Yeah it's that simple why already got your mark have you? Now you realize what damage you do cause do you want rid of it? Well tough shit I ain't helping you. Scum like you deserve to rot in Azkaban"

**"Who?"**

**"Well - I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

**"Why not?"**

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went ... bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was ..."**

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

**"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.**

**"Nah - can't spell it. All right - Voldemort."**

Ron, Malfoy, and McGonagall all flinched.

**Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this - this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too - some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches ... Terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him - an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.**

**"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew.**

"They a few of the most skilled witches and wizard in their day along with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Severus," McGonagall said with a smile.

"Were not that good" They all muttered

"Sure your not" Draco muttered

**Head Boy an' Girl at Hogwarts in their day!**

"Lily was very excited about this, she always took responsibility." McGonagall praised again.

"Yeah too bad Prongsie doesn't" Siri laughed

**Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before ... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side. Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em ... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' - an' -"**

Hermione brushed away a few stray tears and hugged her best friend tightly.

Lily was also looking teary as well.

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with the sound of a foghorn.  
"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad - knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find - anyway - You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing - he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then.**

"Evil git!" muttered Ron.

"Did you know that he actually has MPD?" Harry asked

"What no" everyone shouted

"Oh well erm … yeah he does" Harry grinned sheepishly " but he can never be cured he's let Voldemort be in control for too long" He finished when he noticed the headmaster about to ask a question. By the dejected look on his face he had guessed right when he thought the Headmaster would ask that particular question.

**But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh -took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even - but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry.**

**No one ever lived after he decided to kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age - the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts - an' you was only a baby an' you lived."**

"It was a dreadful time." Dumbledore said frowning.

**Something very painful was going on inside Harry's mind.**

**As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before - and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life - a high, cold, cruel, laugh.**

There was silence in the room, except for a few sniffles from Lily and James. Then Hermione continued reading.

**Hagrid was watching him sadly.**

**"Took yer from the ruined House myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot ..."**

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon.**

"I liked it better when he was quiet!" Exclaimed Malfoy.

"We all did Malfoy" Ron muttered

**Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursley's were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.**

**"Now you listen here, boy," he snarled. "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured -**

Hermione snapped, "Touch him and I'll find a way to hex you!"

**and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it,**

"Is that being put against you Dursley? Because I can guarantee put up against you they were as normal as you could get."

**and the world's better off without them in my opinion - asked for all they got, getting mixed up with all these wizarding types - just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end-"**

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt up from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat.**

"Oh My God ... It's a killer umbrella" Peter gaspe

The others just laughed.

**Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley - I'm warning you - one more word ..."**

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

The boys snickered.

**"That's better," said Hagrid breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.**

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

**"But what happened to Vol- sorry - I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

**"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see ... he was gettin' more an' more powerful - why'd he go? Some say he died.**

"It would have been helpful if he had, would have caused me a lot less pain." Harry said rubbing his scar.

"What do you mean?" James asked

"The scar gives me a mental connection to Moldyshorts … he can send me images and glimpses of what he's seeing at the time … and he can cause me pain through it"

**Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who were on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on - I dunno what it was, no one does - but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."**

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake.**

**A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard?**

"I don't think I'll ever buy a house with a cupboard under the stairs too many memories." Harry said passing a hand through his hair trying to make it lie flat.

"It's hopeless kiddo" Moony said

"Yeah Harry haven't I told you that enough already?" Remus smirked .. he smirked!

**If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?**

**"Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."**

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled. "Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you were scared or angry?"**

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it ... every odd thing that had ever happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry ... chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach dreading ­**

**going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back ...**

**And the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him?**

"That was wonderful!" exclaimed Ron smacking Harry hard on the back.

"Yeah it was" said Harry who was fully distracted at the moment. Everyone looked questionably at Severus. He just shook his head and motioned them to keep reading.

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.  
"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard - you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. "Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish - spell books and wands and - "**

"They're not rubbish!" snapped Hermione. "Being a witch is better than being a Muggle."

**"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts ever had, Albus Dumbled - "**

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

"Uh oh," said Ron looking up at Dumbledore.

"Hagrid is a very loyal friend and companion, he always takes it personally when anyone gives the slightest insult to my name." The old Headmaster smiled and fished for another sweet.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled over his head. "NEVER -" he thundered, "- INSULT - ALBUS - DUMBLEDORE - IN - FRONT - OF - ME!"**

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley -**

"ABOUT TIME!" Ron shouted.

**There was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal and next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain.**

Everyone burst into laughter.

**When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.**

They all laughed even harder at this.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.**

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

**"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

"I suppose there wasn't." Malfoy commented with a smirk.

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

"**Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm - er - not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff - one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job -"**

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.**

"Because he was expelled," said Hermione.

**"Oh, well - I was at Hogwarts meself but I - er - got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."**

**"Why were you expelled?"**

"Why was he expelled?" Malfoy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Having dangerous animals in the castle, they thought that he had opened the chamber of secrets fifty years ago and had killed Myrtle." Harry said leaning on Sev's arm.

**"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly.**

"Not very good at changing the subject is he?" Malfoy asked.

"Not really no." Ron answered.

**"Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."**

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.  
"You can kip under that, he said. "Don't' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

"Ew," Ron simply said.

"Who's next?" Hermione asked holding the book out.

"I'll read next." Ron reached for the book and gave a small nod to her, who gave a small nod back.


	7. Diagon Alley

CHAPTER FIVE

**CHAPTER FIVE  
DIAGON ALLEY**

**Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.  
"It was a dream," he told himself firmly. "I dreamt a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard."**

"Were you always this delusional Harry?" Ron asked with a grin.

Glare. Gulp.

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.  
"And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door," Harry thought, his heart sinking. But he still hadn't opened his eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

**"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."**

**He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him.**

"Yey!" Everyone cheered

**The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.  
Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside him.**

"Awww," cooed Hermione patting Harry's head, who protested and tried pushing her arm away.

**He went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered to the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.**

**"Don't do that."**

"He wants to be paid," Hermione said with a shrug.

"Yeah like I knew that"

**Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.**

**"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl -"**

**"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.**

**"What?"**

**"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."**

"I'm surprised you didn't get lost mate," Ron commented, then he added "Seeing as Hagrid's coat has like a hundred pockets."

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets - bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, mint humbugs, teabags ... finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.**

**"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.**

**"Knuts?"**

**"The little bronze ones."**

**Harry counted five little bronze coins and the owl held out its leg so he could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then it flew out through the open window.**

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up and stretched.  
"Best be off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."**

**Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something which made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture.**

**"Um - Hagrid?"**

**"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.**

**"I haven't got any money - and you heard Uncle Vernon last night - he won't pay for me to go to learn magic."**

"The Potters were almost as rich as the Malfoys," Draco said off handedly.

"Again with the commenting, right listen, my whole life I had been beaten, starved, neglected and literally told not to do have an imagination. Now I'm eleven and I've just been told I'm famous, that my parent's got killed by some mad man on a power surge and my uncle has just said he won't pay for me to learn magic. Tell how am I supposed to know how rich I really am?" Harry asked looking at them all

Ron just started reading again saving people from answering.

**"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'ye think year parents didn't leave yeh anything?"**

**"But if their house was destroyed -"**

**"They didn't keep their gold in the house, boy!"**

"Grr I was lucky I didn't cower or something then"

" **Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank Have a sausage, they're not bad cold - an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither.**

**"Wizards have banks?"**

"Where do you think we keep our money?" demanded Malfoy. "Buried in our backyards?"

"Shut it Malfoy" Ron growled

**"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."**

**Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.**

**"Goblins?"**

**"Yeah - so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you - gettin' things from Gringotts - knows he can trust me, see."**

**"Got everythin'? Come on, then."**

**Harry followed Hagrid out on to the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.**

**"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat.**

**"Flew," said Hagrid.**

"I didn't know Hagrid could fit on a broom," Said Ron.

"He might have ridden a Threstle," Harry said with a shrug and motioned for Ron to continue reading.

**"Flew?"**

**"Yeah - but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."  
They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.**

"I wonder how the Dursley's got back" James asked

"I helped them" Dumbledore said with a proud air

"Retard" someone whispered

**"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter - er - speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"**

**"Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat and they sped off towards land.**

"Isn't his wand in his umbrella?" Hermione hissed, with a brief look at Dumbledore who was trying to get rid of the charms on him.

"I thought that was figured out last time Hermione"

**"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.**

**"Spells - enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there are dragons guardin' the high security vaults. And then yeh ­**

**gotta find yer way - Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."**

**Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Harry had learnt from Uncle Vernon that people like to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never had so many questions in his life.**

"Yes but your Uncle was a tub of Lard with no manners." James muttered

"Well duh"

**"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.**

**"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself.**

**"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."**

"Indeed he does, but not everybody can be perfect." Dumbledore commented.

"Why didn't you take the job for Minister, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"I believe that it is my job to run this school and help teach the future generations - "

But he was cut off. By Peter of all people.

"Just shut up old man you're a senile whatever year old who has a thirst for power and like to control people, and you know it, you like the power that Hogwarts has inside her walls and you want it, all of it, the Dark Lord now he has goals, it is not about purifying the world of muggle-borns and half bloods, it is about making our world a better place to live, if you've noticed the people being killed are those who are in charge or are people who are abusing their child, since he grew up an orphan he kills their children afterwards so that they are not left alone in the world like he was" Peter finished his rant and looked up at Harry expectantly

"So you already are a deatheater" He commented "We should have known" James, Sirius. Moony and Lily all looked in horror at Peter, a look of deep betrayal began to etch over their faces and Lily began again to cry.

"But what you say is true" Harry continued "As I say Moldyshort's has MPD and I'm good enough at Legillimency (sp?) now that I managed to find his other self. I have frequent conversations with him, he just wants a better world. Voldemort came when he was just too angry to control himself and the other personality took over. That's when the facial features change and the killing begins".

Ron looked shocked but he continued reading feeling uncomfortable in the tension that was now in the air.

**"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"  
"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."  
"Why?"  
"Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."**

"Yep, that's right!' exclaimed Malfoy.

Lily shushed him.

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbour wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper and they clambered up the stone steps on to the street.**

**Passers-by stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"**

**"Hagrid," said Harry panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"**

**"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon.**

"And what a disaster that turned out to be." Ron said rubbing his hand where the Norwegian Ridgeback had bit.

"Good old Norbert." Harry chuckled, which sent Hermione into a fit of laughter as well.

**"You'd like one?"**

**"Wanted one ever since I was a kid - here we go."**

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand 'Muggle money', as he called it, gave the notes to Harry so he could buy their tickets.**

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent**

"Oh gods I'd totally forgotten about that. You should have seen the looks this old woman gave us, I think she was about to start hitting us with her handbag" Harry laughed

**"Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches.  
Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.**

**"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list of everything yeh need."  
Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Uniform  
First-year students will require:  
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

"Yey Slytherin" Draco and Severus cheered

**  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags**

**Set Books  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble**

**Other Equipment  
1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales**

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

Hey, I had a rat, well he wasn't really a rat, but how come I never got told off for having Scabbers or Wormtail...well whatever." Ron asked blushing to his roots.

"Hey yeah and I've seen a couple of Slytherins with Snakes how come they haven't been told off?" asked James

"Because we know that people don't obey the pet rule anyway, I mean you should ask Hagrid what he had during his three years here"

"Oh I already know" Harry smirked

Everyone looked at him weirdly.

**"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.**

**"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.**

**Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not too used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.**

Most people burst out laughing, seeing as they were the only ones who had ever traveled on the underground.

**"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said, as they climbed a broken-down escalator which led up to a bustling road lined with shops.**

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him.**

**They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger bars and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand.**

"Ah, how naive you were." Ron sighed while grinning wildly.

"Shut up Ron"

**This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks?**

**Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursley's had cooked up?**

"Oh yeah uncle Vernon hated the mention of anything that wasn't normal, of course he cooked up this big elaborate joke, god I was stupid back then" Harry muttered

"What and you think your smarter now?" Draco asked

"Actually I must be because I've been top spot on the grade list all year" Harry answered

Even Hermione looked shocked at that.

"That is true Miss Granger" McGonagall answered

"But but that's just stupid … Harry's stupid he could never do his homework without me there beside him. Never how is he in the top spot? Are you paying them is that it? Or are you bribing them? I mean it's gotta be working hasn't it look at how close you are to Snape." she shrieked

"I am not stupid and if you looked at my paper's you would notice they all had glamour's on them to hide the real marks. The teacher's didn't want anybody to know just how smart I am because it would attract unwanted attention you stupid bint. And no I'm not bribing the teacher's I'm just smart, have you ever notice how I'll disappear after I've done my homework? It's because I go to the library and study some more. So screw off"

She looked shocked and shut up glaring at everybody.

**If Harry hadn't known that the Dursley's had no sense of humour, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him.**

**"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."**

"It's a nice place to stay in, Tom is very helpful." Hermione muttered

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it.**

**Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside.**

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old barman, who was quite bald and looked like a gummy walnut.**

"Now that wasn't very nice Harry." Hermione scolded.

"So? I never thought that." Harry thought for a second before bursting out, "How come this person knows so much about my life? Obviously I couldn't have been interviewed by her because I wouldn't have known what happened the night I was taken to my Aunts and Uncles."

"I don't know. Just keep on reading Weasley, I have a feeling I may be in this soon." Malfoy added.

"Oh joy" Ron muttered

**The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the barman reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"**

**"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.**

**"Good Lord," said the barman, peering at Harry, "is this - can this be -?"**

"And so it begins." Harry muttered once again resting his head in his arms.

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.  
"Bless my soul," whispered the old barman. "Harry Potter ... what an honour."**

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed towards Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.  
"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."**

"You do not know how scared I actually was at that time" Harry shuddered

"I think we can guess" Snape muttered

**Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.**

"I felt like shouting something out in that moment...I didn't but I wanted to. The silence, and everybody staring at me was annoying." Harry said looking up briefly before once again laying his head in his arms.

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and, next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

**"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."**

**"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."**

**"Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."**

**"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you. Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."**

**"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."**

"Told you." Harry murmured from his place on the table.

**"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!"  
Harry shook hands again and again - Doris Crockford kept coming back for more."**

"Ewwie that sounds so disgusting" Sirius muttered

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.  
"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."**

"Stupid, son of a-" Harry began to curse.

"Harry! Shut up please" Moony said

**"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."**

**"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"**

**"D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" he laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.**

"He's a git and a wimp. Good job you killed him then Potter." Malfoy smirked.

"Mr. Malfoy, no matter how evil people are we should not wish death upon them it is not right." McGonagall said glaring at the Malfoy heir.

"So? Okay do not wish death on anybody" Harry repeated he turned and looked at Dumbledore "I'm not going to stop Voldemort" he whispered conspirtually

"But Harry my boy, the .. the prophecy" he said at last

"The prophecy, old man is already fulfilled in case you haven't noticed. It was fulfilled on the 31st of October 1981" Harry spat.

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble. "Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."**

**Doris Crockford shook his hand one last time and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a dustbin and a few weeds.**

**Hagrid grinned at Harry.  
"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."**

**"Is he always that nervous?"**

**"Oh, yeah, poor bloke. Brilliant mind."**

"No shit there's Voldemort on the back of his head for god's sake!" Ron shouted

**He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag - never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject - now, where's me umbrella?"**

**Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming.**

**Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the dustbin.  
"Three up... two across..." he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."**

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.**

**The brick he had touched quivered - it wriggled - in the middle, a small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway on to a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.**

"I was absolutely awestruck when I saw Diagon Alley for the first time, it was so...magical." Hermione said her eyes twinkling.

"Yeah like the unicorns and the Vampires" Sirius snickered

**"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."**

**He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.**

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring - Collapsible said a sign hanging over them.**

**"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."**

**Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an apothecary's was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen sickles an ounce, they're mad..."**

"But wouldn't most people say one galleon rather than seventeen sickles?" asked Ron.

"Maybe it's a typo," said Remus. "This Rowling person could have meant sixteen sickles."

"Or you know she could have actually meant to write that?" James said

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium - Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy.**

**Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand - fastest ever -"**

"Well it was, but now my Firebolt is just the best." Harry said grinning.

"Woah you fly?" James asked an excited gleam in his eye

"Yerp youngest seeker in a century dear old dad of mine" Harry laughed.

His (plus Sirius, Moony and Peter's) jaw dropped open.

"Youngest .. In a century?" they gasped

"Yup he's amazing too only lost one game in six years" Snape said

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon ...**

**"Gringotts," said Hagrid.  
They had reached a snowy-white building which towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was -  
"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps towards him.**

**The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:**

"Skip the poem," said Draco "We all know what it says anyway".

**"Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.**

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.**

**"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."**

"It's a good job all the Goblins are above shallow thanks" said Lily

**"You have his key, sir?"**

**"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of mouldy dog-biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.**

"I'm surprised they didn't maim him" said Peter "They hate things being throw on their desks"

**"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a golden key.**

**The goblin looked at it closely.  
"That seems to be in order."**

**"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

"The Philosophers Stone." Ron and Hermione whispered.

"Stupid stone" Harry muttered

**The** **goblin read the letter carefully.  
"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"**

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog-biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook towards one of the doors leading off the hall.**

**"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked.**

**"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously.**

"Terrible liar." Harry said trying to make his hair lie flat again.

**"Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."**

**Griphook held open the door for them. Harry, who had expected to see more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downwards and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks towards them. They climbed in - Hagrid with some difficulty - and were off.**

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.**

**Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but was too late. They plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.**

**"I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

"Stalagmites are found on the ground and stalactites on the ceiling," said Harry. "'G' for 'ground' and 'c' for 'ceiling'."

The others blinked at him. "Were you a dictionary in a past life?" asked Ron. "Or did you swallow an encyclopaedia?"

"I read, and I'm just plain smart" said Harry simply. "There are actually some good books to read in the library"

**"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."  
He did look very green and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees trembling.**

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped.**

"What is it with this book and green? Green smoke, green icing. What next? Green money." Ron said with a scowl.

"Well there actually is green money out in the world, America I think" Remus said. Ron just growled.

**Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.  
"All yours," smiled Hagrid.**

**All Harry's - it was incredible. The Dursley's couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep?**

Everyone glared at the book.

**And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London.**

**Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.**

**"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe fer yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen, now, please, and can we go more slowly?"**

**"One speed only," said Griphook.**

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine and Harry leant over the side to try and see what was down at the dark bottom but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck**

"You are far too brave for your own good, Potter." Malfoy said.

"So I've been told." He commented "What's your point?"

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.**

**"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.**

"Cool," said the boys.

**"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.**

**"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.**

**"About once every ten years," said Griphook, with a rather nasty grin.**

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top-security vault, Harry was sure, and he leant forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least - but at first he thought it was empty.**

**Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but he knew better than to ask.  
"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.**

"It's amazing what we found out from the little fact that it was a small grubby package." Harry said with a thoughtful expression.

**One wild cart-ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money.**

**He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life - more money than even Dudley had ever had.**

**"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? Hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.**

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.**

**"Hogwarts dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."**

"And that would be me." Malfoy said smirking.

"Yes, and you were terribly rude." Harry commented.

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. **

**Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.**

**"Hullo," said the boy, "Hogwarts too?"**

**"Yes," said Harry.**

**"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice.**

"Yeah we definitely know it's you Malfoy, haven't changed much have you." Ron commented with a sneaky grin which Malfoy ignored.

"Don't you have to buy wands yourself?" James asked

**"Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."**

**Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.**

"I am nothing like that cousin of yours. How dare you even suggest it?"

"Rude, obnoxious, spoiled quite a bit to compare to, except your not fat, but you both have blonde hair" Harry answered

Draco looked sick.

**"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.  
"No," said Harry.  
"Play Quidditch at all?"  
"No," said Harry again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

James fainted. He actually fainted. Harry looked scared.

**"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

**"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.**

"It's okay Harry, the same thing happened to me but the guy I was talking too became my best friend in Hogwarts." Lily said

**"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"**

**"Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.  
"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding towards the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice-creams to show he couldn't come in.**

"Ha! I knew something you didn't." Harry said triumphantly.

**"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."**

**"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

Malfoy looked sheepish under the Deputy heads glare, "Um...sorry."

"So you should Mr. Malfoy" she commented

**"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.**

**"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage -** **lives in a hut in the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

"Hey!" Harry and Ron shouted.

"Well, it's true."

"That may be so Malfoy, but it does not give you the right to say it" Severus said pulling Harry down to his chair.

**"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.**

**"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer.**

**"Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"  
"They're dead," said Harry shortly.**

**He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.**

"I'm not surprised." Ron said still rather upset about the previous comment.

**"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"**

**"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."**

**"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old Wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"**

"Prejudiced git." Ron snarled.

**Before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.**

**"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.**

"I can't believe you just dismissed me like that. I was trying my hardest to be nice and you just threw it back in my face."

"Nice, you didn't seem all that nice to me." Harry shot back.

"Well I tried"

"I was brought up being abused and you reminded me of my cousin what exactly was I supposed to think?" Harry shouted

"Boys, calm down. Mr Weasley if you would please continue." McGonagall said motioning to Ron.

**"What's up?" said Hagrid.**

**"Nothing," Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote.**

**When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"**

**"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know - not knowin' about Quidditch!"**

**"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's.  
"-and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in -"**

**"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were - he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents were wizardin' folk - you saw 'em in the Leaky Cauldron. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles - look at yer mum!**

"That is very true." Snape said.

**Look at what she had fer a sister!"**

**"So what is Quidditch?"**

**It's our sport, wizard sport. It's like - like football in the Muggle world - everyone follows Quidditch - played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls - sorta hard ter explain the rules."**

**"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"**

**"School houses. There are four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but -"**

"Hey! Hufflepuff are nice people. They awesome to talk to when your upset" Lily shouted

**"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily.**

"I can't believe you would think that. Obviously you would be in Gryffindor." Ron said.

"Abused Ron. Abused"

**"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one.**

"And there begins my rage at the Slytherins, sucks really don't it?" Harry asked

**"Vol - sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"  
"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.**

**They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these.**

Hermione who was mentally drooling had to be taken out of her stupor by James who had tapped her face lightly a few times.

**Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and much, much more) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.**

**"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."**

**"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."**

"Iwas so upset when he said that" Harry pouted. Severus had to look away and Harry smirked looking at the Potion's Master "Something wrong Sevvie?" He asked

"What no nothing at all why would anything be wrong Harry?"

"Well see you won't look at me and I wanna know why?" he laughed

"Oh umm well you see …" He stopped and everyone else gaped. Snape was stuttering? And being teased by Harry. They had never ever seen this. "Well there's this pout that I know you have on, and that you know I can't resist so I'm not going to look at you" he finished triumphantly

"But Sevvie …" Harry said moving over to Snape "I might want a kiss right now"

"No"

"Please"

"No"

"Pleeeease" Harry whined

"Fine" Harry giggled then motioned for Ron to carry on the reading of the pages of the book.

**Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"),**

"It was worth a try I suppose" Ron muttered determinedly not looking over at Harry ad Snape.

**but they got a nice set of brass scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the apothecary's, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages.**

"I knew you were never fit for the art of Potion Making. Not many are." Snape said folding his arms across his chest. Everyone jumped they had not realized he had finished kissing Harry.

"Hey I resent that, I got better didn't I?"

"Hmm yes you certainly did"

**Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor, jars of herbs, dried roots and bright powders lined the walls, bundles of feathers, strings of fangs and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery black beetle eyes (five knuts a scoop).**

**Outside the apothecary's, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.  
"Just yer wand left - oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."**

"The first Birthday present I could remember." Harry gave a humourless smile.

James stood up. "Let's sing Happy Birthday to Harry, Marauder style"

"Oh no" Lily muttered

Remus, Moony, James, Sirius and Peter all took a deep breath and bellowed :

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, STICK YOUR HEAD DOWN THE LOO, DON''T WASTE, JUST TASTE IT HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

"Ahh that was fun I haven't said that in years" Remus chuckled

**Harry felt himself go red.  
"You don't have to -"  
"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer an animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at -an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer post an' everythin'."**

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage which held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.**

"That's just like saying Harry sounds like Voldermort!" Hermione exclaimed, "That's a horrible thing to say."

"So he did it's not my fault there all stuttering fools when it comes to him anyway" he shrugged

**"Don' mention it, said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursley's.**

**Just Ollivanders left now - only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."**

**A magic wand... this was what Harry had been really looking forward to.**

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.**

"Has that wand ever moved?" asked Malfoy. The others shrugged.

"Isn't that said to be Merlin's wand?" Harry asked

"It is said to be but u asked him, he said it was LeFey's"

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty for a single spindly chair which Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he'd entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions which had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.**

"The room hasn't changed much, either," commented Snape.

**"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.**

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.**

**"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.**

**"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question.**

**"You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow.**

**Nice wand for charm work."**

"Your mother is very talented at charms Harry" James laughed "I was good at Transfiguration though"

"Yeah I know that I mean how many of your average fifth years can become Animagus'?" he asked innocently

Sirius, James and Peter paled and looked at McGonagall.

"Transform Now" She said.

The did one at a time o there would still be space in the room.

"Very good" McGonagall nodded her approval.

**Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.**

**"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration.**

"How does he remember this stuff?"

"He takes a potion that helps him remember everything don't ask me what it's called" Remus answered

**Well, I say your father favoured it- it's really the wand that chooses the wizard , of course."  
My Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.**

**"And that's where..."  
Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.  
"I'm sorry to say that I sold the wand that did it," he said softly.**

"You never told us that Harry." Hermione whispered.

Harry shrugged and pulled out his own wand. Twirling it between his fingers.

"Didn't seem important"

**"Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... Well, if I'd known what that wand was going out in the world to do..."**

**He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.**

**"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"**

"What'sHagrid's wand core?" asked Ron.

"Unicorn Hair," answered Hermione. "I asked him once."

**"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.**

**"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.**

**"Er - yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.**

**"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.**

**"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

"Yeah right," muttered Malfoy sarcastically.

**"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now - Mr. Potter. Let me see."**

**He pulled a long tape measure with silver marking out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"  
"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.**

**"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head.**

**As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns or dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."**

"Never knew that," said Ron.

"Well, you'll have to read more," said Hermione.

"Stop with the reading comments" he muttered

**Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.**

**"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."**

**Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander took it out of his hand almost at once.**

**"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -"**

**Harry tried - but he had hardly raised it when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.**

**"No, no - here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."**

**Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.**

"I thought I would never find a wand." Harry said grinning softly.

**"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."**

**Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers.**

**He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on the walls.**

"Well done Harry"

**Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious..."**

"I nearly fainted when he said that" Harry grinned

**He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious... curious..."  
"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"**

**Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.  
"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter.**

"Oh no. I'm sorry guys I never told you this." Harry placed his head in his hands trying to hide from what was about to be said.

**Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar."**

The others looked shocked and Ron even dropped the book. The soft thud pulled everybody from their staring and Ron hurriedly bent to pick it up.

**Harry swallowed.  
"Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. potter... After all, He Who Must Not Be Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."**

Everyone just stared. Ollivander thought that Voldemort's work was great?

**Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop**.

**The late-afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawping at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the sleeping snowy owl on Harry's lap.**

**Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.  
"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.**

"Aww, that's sweet," said Hermione smiling. "Buying you a meal before you have to return to the Dursley's."

**He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them.**

**Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.**

"I felt like that after I went to Diagon Alley," said Lily. "One minutes I'm buying my stuff for Hogwarts, next I'm back to acting like a Muggle."

**"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.**

**Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life - and yet - he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.**

**"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander ... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things?**

"Well, you survived the Killing Curse!" exclaimed Ron. "That's why!"

"Don't remind me I'd rather have my parents alive thank you"

**I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol- sorry - I mean, the night my parents died."**

The others were silent. Severus wrapped Harry in a hug and held him tightly.

**Hagrid leant across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.**

**"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts - I did - still do, 'smatter of fact."**

**Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursley's, then handed him an envelope.**

**"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September - King's Cross - it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursley's, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me... See yer soon, Harry."**

**The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"Isn't he nice he didn't even tell him about the barrier" James said

"So I figured it out with a little help" Harry said smiling at Ron gratefully.

"So who's next?"

"I will" Draco offered


	8. The journey begins

Author's Note: As you might have guessed I really hate Hermione and Dumbles: Also some review responses:

Author's Note: As you might have guessed I really hate Hermione and Dumbles: Also some review responses:

Emerald. VS. Silver. : Lol I know you love Snape and Harry : I do too which is why something had to go in there.

Aria Darkmoon : I really thank you for the support Grins If I get this chapter up then I will like be updating pretty soon. Sigh I'm so proud. Anyways I shall continue with my updates. Grin

US2UK06 : I know I goofed: in fact I owe you thanks I'd completely forgotten I'd pulled them out of the story: Hangs Head Not the sign of a good author: Anyway the problem is fixed and story has been corrected and what not.

MaraudersBanana : Umm Hehe sorry: I guess I was just thinking that I should let people stew over the fact of why Harry was there. Hangs Head Again. Not the sign of a good author sorry.

So Umm .. Another new chapter hope you enjoy it and I don't make anymore mistakes.

Crossfire.

Draco cleared his throat and began -

"**CHAPTER SIX  
THE JOURNEY FROM PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS **

**Harry's last month with the Dursley's wasn't fun.**

"When did the word fun and Dursley even merit being in the same sentence?" James asked

Everyone shrugged

**True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard,-"**

"Hey wait, the author went backwards in the story!" Lily argued

"What where?" Harry asked

"Didn't it say that your Aunt and Uncle had moved you to the pig's second bedroom?"

"Umm yeah … what's your point?"

"She's saying that your back in the cupboard" Lily said

"Oh yeah" Harry finally caught on

"**force him to do anything or shout at him - in fact, they didn't speak to him at all.**

"Massive improvement I could read all my books" said Harry

**Half-terrified, half-furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it was empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.**

"Now I think of it, it was a bit depressing." Harry commented

**Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he found in A History of Magic.**

**His school books were very interesting.**

**He lay on his bed reading late into the night. Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to hoover any more, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.**

"Gross," Hermione blanched

"It's what owls eat Granger" Draco sneered

**Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.**

**On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station next day, so he went down to the living-room, where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.**

"Wimp," Ron muttered once again glaring at the book.

Harry laughed "You should have seen him summer after first year, he actually fell off the kitchen chair because I said the word magic"

"Are they really that shallow?" Moony asked

"Oh yes"

**"Er - Uncle Vernon?"**

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

Harry grunted … and again … and again, then Ron joined in. And they started making up a song, using grunts, people were confused.

"Umm … boys what are you doing?" asked McGonagall scared for the sanity of her Gryffins.

"Were merely making a band"

"Okay well do you think you stop now it's quite scary" Sirius muttered

"Aww" the boys whined "But we were going to sing it to Vernon and see if he could understand it" Harry added innocently

Everyone started laughing. When they had calmed down Draco began to read the story again.

**"Er - I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to - to go to Hogwarts."**

**Uncle Vernon grunted again.**

**"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"**

"It'd better be!" growled Remus.

**Grunt.**

**Harry supposed that meant yes.**

**"Thank you."**

**He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.  
"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"**

"Actually. They have been banned since 1835 far too many air crashes" Severus put in.

**Harry didn't say anything.**

**"Where is this school, anyway?"**

**"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled out the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.**

**"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o' clock," he read.**

**His aunt and uncle stared. "Platform what?"**

**"Nine and three-quarters."  
"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "there's no platform nine and three-quarters."**

"Muggles," McGonagoll tutted, "Can't see past their own noses."

**"It's on my ticket."  
"Barking," said Uncle Vernon,**

**"Howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see.**

"No, you will, Dursley!" exclaimed James and Lily.

**You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."**

**"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.**

**"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."**

Ron, Malfoy and the Maruader's howled with laughter at this point and Harry and Snape merely smirked while the rest chuckled.

**Harry woke at five o' clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes - he'd change on the train.**

**He checked the Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursley's to get up. Two hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursley's' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry and they had set off.**

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk on to a trolley and wheeled it into the station for him.**

Ron frowned and said, "Strange. That's unusually kind of him."

"There's a motive Ron, there's always a motive" Harry muttered

Ron looked confused "What's a motive"

"A reason for doing something" Hermione rattled off

**Harry thought this was strangely kind until he stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.**

**"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"**

"It's hidden from Muggles, you idiot!" Malfoy stated with a raised eyebrow.

**He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.**

**"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile.**

**He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursley's drive away.**

**All three of them were laughing. Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone.**

"Oh no, bad idea. Very bad idea." Hermione muttered.

"That plain utter bitch!" Lily screamed "How many times has she seen me bored that train? You could have at least told him you selfish idiot horse!" she ranted. The boys scooted away.

**He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o' clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time-wasters.**

**Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money and a large owl.**

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get his wand and start tapping the ticket box between platforms nine and ten.**

"What a sight that would have given the Muggles." Sirius laughed

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.  
" -packed with Muggles, of course -"**

**Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him - and they had an owl.**

"Hey that's my Mum!" Ron grinned.

"You know" Harry muttered glaring suspiciously at Dumbledore "That seems rather staged don't you think?" he asked looking around.

They nodded. "Did you set up my meeting with the Weasley's that day?"

The turning of the head from Dumbledore made Harry know he was correct. He hung his head. Where the Weasley's even his real friends?

**Heart hammering, Harry pushed his trolley after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.**

**"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.**

**"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand. "Mum, can't I go ..."**

"Ginny." Ron confirmed.

**"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."**

**What looked like the oldest boy marched towards the platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it - but just as the boy reached the divide between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him, and by the time the last rucksack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.**

**"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.**

**"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"**

"They do that every year, after a while it gets annoying." Ron said with a shrug but still wearing a small smile.

"It's still funny though your mother still falls for it" Harry laughed

**"Sorry, George, dear."**

**"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went.**

**His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done, because a second later, he had gone - but how had he done it?**

**Now the third brother was walking briskly towards the ticket barrier - he was almost there - and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.**

**There was nothing else for it.**

**"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.**

**"Hullo, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."**

"Yey!" Ron shouted.

"Mr Weasley sit down and restrain yourself." Snape ordered a smirk on his face

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet and a long nose.**

"Not the most flattering description," said Hermione smiling.

"Gangling?" Ron asked in a strangled voice.

Harry laughed.

**"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is - the thing is, I don't know how to -"**

**"How to get on to the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.**

**"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."**

"What did she say when I'd gone?" Harry demanded of Ron.

"She .." He paled "She .. Oh my god she told me I had to befriend you no matter what, but talking to you in the compartment, you were so shy, so new into my life I befriended you of my own purpose" he finished explaining and stared accusingly at Dumbles. "What did you tell my mother"

"Leave it Ron he won't explain" Harry spat

**"Er - OK," said Harry.  
He pushed his trolley round and stared at the barrier.**

**It looked very solid.**

**He started to walk towards it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that ticket box and then he'd be in trouble - leaning forward on his trolley he broke into a heavy run - the barrier was coming nearer and nearer - he wouldn't be able to stop - the trolley was out of control - he was a foot away - he closed his eyes ready for the crash -** **It didn't come ... he kept on running ... he opened his eyes.  
A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people.**

"Ahh, Hogwarts Express, holds many memories." Harry sighed with a wistful voice.

"Yeah it does" someone muttered

**A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the ticket box had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. He had done it.**

"Yey for Potter's brain power" Draco snickered

A plate of cookies appeared on the table and Harry picked one up. And threw it at Draco. He hit his target. The Hair, and told the room to mash the cookie into little bits. The reaction was hilarious. Draco screamed and began running around the room before he grabbed his wand and turned Harry into a small black kitten.

The small cat shrugged and jumped onto Severus' lap laying down and falling asleep. Draco was astonished and decided to keep on reading.

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to each other in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.** **The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his trolley off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."**

**"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.**

"Hehe Longbottom never remembers anything does that boy" Snape snickered

"Wait Longbottom Frank's son?" asked a shocked James

"Umm .. yeah but that's a story for another time" McGonagall muttered uncomfortable with the situation

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.**

**"Give us a look, Lee, go on."**

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.**

"I don't like spiders." Ron's voice shook slightly.

**Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk towards the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.**

**"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the ticket box.**

**"Yes, please," Harry panted.**

**"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"**

"For once those Twins were useful." Hermione sighed shaking her head in amusement.

**With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.**

**"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.**

**"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.**

**"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you-?"**

**"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.**

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"Harry Potter," chorused the twins.**

**"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."**

"Oh Him? Potter seriously didn't you know your own name?" Malfoy asked.

"Well I suppose I was just so used to people saying Harry Potter when I passed I got a little fed up."

**The two boys gawped at him and Harry felt himself going red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating through the train's open door.**

**"Fred? George? Are you there?"**

**"Coming, Mum."**

**With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.**

**Harry sat down next to the window where, half-hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.**

**Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.**

**"Ron, you've got something on your nose."**

**"Mum - geroff." He wriggled free.**

**"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.**

"Oh those twins sound awesome" Sirius muttered.

"They are they had your map and were the best Pranksters in the school since you left" Harry said. People jumped they had obviously not realized he was back in his human form.

"Wait you were told twice to wipe the mud off of your nose?" Hermione asked "That's disgusting Ronald"

"What twice" asked Draco

"Later"

**"Shut up," said Ron.**

**"Where's Percy?" said their mother.**

**"He's coming now."**

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.**

"Prefect Percy, Perfect Percy, Pompous Prick Percy." Ron murmured.

**"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front; the Prefects have got two compartments to themselves -"**

**"Oh, are you a Prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."**

**"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once-"**

**"Or twice-"**

**"A minute-"**

**"All summer-"**

**"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.**

Harry was chuckling along with the Marauder's laughs.

**"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.**

**"Because he's a Prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there."**

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.**

"The Warning." Harry and Ron said together.

"What Warning" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Every year Mrs.Weasly gives me, Ron, Gred and Forge a warning."

"It's a behavioral warning, she tells us to be good and if she gets more than 5 letter's home each term she's coming to get us and take us home"

"Potter's going to be in trouble then?" Draco asked

"I don't go looking for trouble, it finds me"

**"Now you two - this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or -"**

**"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."**

**"Great idea though, thanks, Mum."**

**"It's not funny. And look after Ron."**

**"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."**

**"Shut up," said Ron again.**

Harry and Hermione began laughing at their friend again.

**He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.**

**"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"**

**Harry leant back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.**

**"You know the black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"**

"Oh no." groaned Harry.

**"Who?"**

**"Harry Potter!"**

**Harry heard the little girl's voice.**

**"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please ..."**

"I told you she'd always thought of you as her knight in shining armour" Ron said smugly

**"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"**

**"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."**

**"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone. I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get on to the platform."**

**"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"**

"I don't, for the record." Harry added.

**Their mother suddenly became very stern.  
"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."**

**"All right, keep your hair on."**

**A whistle sounded.**

**"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered on to the train. They leant out of the window for her to kiss them goodbye and their youngest sister began to cry.**

**"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."**

**"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."**

"We haven't blown up a toilet have we?" Ron asked his friends.

"No, but we have had fire in a toilet." Hermione stated, McGonagalls eyes widened a fraction but dared not ask.

"Yeah and we've been in the school plumbing system"

"And the Forbidden Forest"

"And underneath the school"

"And broken into places"

"And been off school grounds with a 'Werewolf' and a supposed 'Dangerous Murderer'"

"Hmm . Oh and rode thestrals to London"

"And Kidnapped a Hippogriff"

"And conversed with Acromantula"

"Okay now shut up" Draco snapped.

The Marauder's and Lily were looking on in amazment.

**"George!"**

**"Only joking, Mum."**

**The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed; then she fell back and waved.**

**Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know where he was going to - but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.**

"Anything is better than what you were leaving behind Potter." Malfoy sneered.

"I know"

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest red-headed boy came in.  
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."**

**Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.**

**"Hey, Ron." **

**The twins were back.**

**"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."**

"Tarantulas are worse then spiders." Ron shivered again.

**"Right," mumbled Ron.**

**"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."**

**"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.**

**"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.**

**Harry nodded.**

**"Oh - well, I thought it might have been one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got - you know ..."**

**He pointed at Harry's forehead.**

**Harry pulled back his fringe to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.**

**"So that's where You-Know-Who-?"**

"Didn't your mother forbid you from asking questions about that?" asked Severus

"No she told the twins" Harry responded smirking

"Brat"

**"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."**

**"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.**

**"Well - I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."**

**"Wow," said Ron.**

**He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.**

**"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.**

**"Er - yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

"What's an accountant?" asked Malfoy.

"Someone who handles business money transactions isn't it?"

"Yeah I think why? Don't wizards have them?" asked Lily

"They do, I just didn't know what they were called," said Malfoy with a faint pink tinge on his cheeks.

**"So you must know loads of magic already."**

**The Weasleys were clearly one of those old Wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.**

**"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"**

**"Horrible - well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."**

**"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch.**

"The only one that could have beaten Charlie Weasley was probably you Mr Potter." McGonagoll stated.

**Now Percy's a Prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny.**

**Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand and Percy's old rat."**

"That slimy little rat!" Ron shouted, looking like he wanted to snatch the book away rip it into little pieces.

"What's with the rat?" Malfoy asked Hermione.

"It's too long a story." Hermione answered with a dismissing wave of her hand.

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.**

**"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up.**

"That sounds like someone we know" James murmured

**Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a Prefect, but they couldn't aff- I mean, I got Scabbers instead."  
Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.**

**Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.**

"Umm… Weasley you shouldn't be happy because Harry never got anything" Snape said

"Yeah umm .. sorry" He muttered

**" ... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort -"**

**Ron gasped.**

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed.**

"That must have looked disgusting and painful" Draco added as an afterthought

**"I'd have thought you, of all people-"**

**"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry. "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn ... I bet," –­**

**he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."**

"Yeah right, perfect Potter being the worst." Malfoy muttered rolling his eyes.

"Yes Malfoy perfect Potter being the worst it can happen you know" Harry shouted snappishly

**"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."**

"Just look at Hermione." Ron said with a large grin directed at the girl who was blushing furiously.

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.**

**Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"**

**Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.**

**He had never had any money for sweets with the Dursley's and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry -**

"What are Mars Bars?" asked Ron, puzzled.

"They're a Muggle chocolate bar," explained Hermione. "They're quite good, though if you have too much, I think you get sick of them."

**but the woman didn't have any Mars Bars. What she did have were Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron cakes, Liquorice ands and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life.**

**Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.  
Ron stared as Harry brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.**

**"Hungry, are you?"**

**"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.**

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."**

"She still does." Ron blanched.

**"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty.**

**"Go on -"**

**"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."**

**"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before, or, indeed, anyone to share it with.**

**It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron; eating their way through all Harry's pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).**

"Not surprising, seeing as they're corned beef!" said Malfoy.

Ron looked horrified at having something in common with Malfoy. The Dreaded Enemy.

**"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.**

**"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is, I'm missing Agrippa."**

"I just can't seem to find her." Ron said reaching into his pocket and pulling out the two cards he had placed there earlier.

**"What?"**

**"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect - Famous Witches and Wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."**

"Good God neither have I" Malfoy gasped out

**Harry unwrapped his Chocolate frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long crooked nose and flowing silver hair, beard and moustache.**

"Dumbledore," growled Harry

**Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.**

**"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.**

**"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron.**

"He wouldn't have known Professor Dumbledore considering Harry grew up with Muggles." Hermione gave Ron a light smack on his arm.

**"Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa - thanks -"**

**Harry turned over his card and read:**

**Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts.  
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.**

**Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.**

**"He's gone!"**

"So? It's only a photo," said Malfoy.

"Muggle photos don't move." Harry explained.

"So Muggle photos don't move at all? Weird!"

**"Well you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her ... do want it? You can start collecting."**

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.**

**"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."**

**"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"**

The others looked at Malfoy. He shrugged and said, "Coincidence? We seem to have a lot in common at the moment"

**Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back in the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them.**

**Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes from the ­**

**druidess Clidona, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans.**

**"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour - you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once."**

"Vomit flavored," Dumbledore said happily with a grin on his face.

"Only you would be happy to get a vomit flavored Bertie bean"

**Ron picked up a green bean looked at it carefully and bit into a corner.**

"How can you bite into a corner?" asked Ron "They're round, not boxish."

"They could be oval shaped" Sirus and Moony persisted

**"Bleaaargh - see? Sprouts."**

**They had a good time eating the Every-Flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny grey one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. The countryside now flying past the window was looking wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers and dark green hills.**

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.**

**"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"**

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"**

**"He'll turn up," said Harry.**

"See Ron when you're nice people become your friend, if only you could be like Harry." Hermione gave Ron a small glare.

**"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..."**

**He left.**

**"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could.**

"So would I." Malfoy agreed with a strange expression on his face.

**Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."**

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.**

**"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust.**

"Yey Die, die rat die" Harry cheered

"What's with the rat?" Moony asked

"Meh you'll find out later" he responded

**"I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."**

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.**

**"Unicorn hairs nearly poking out. Anyway -"**

**He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toad less boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

**"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said.**

"Didn't he already ask them that?" asked Malfoy.

"He did," Harry confirmed.

**She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth.**

"I am not bossy!" Hermione said crossing her arms in front of her.

"Yes you are" Harry, Ron and Draco hollered back to her

She huffed and turned back to her seat once again glaring at everyone in the room.

**"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.**

**"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."**

"Oh my, did I really sound like that?" she asked a hand covering her cheek.

"Yes!"

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.**

**"Er - all right."**

**He cleared his throat.**

**"Sunshine, daises, butter mellow,  
Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

"Umm … aren't all spells meant to be latin?" Lily asked

"Yes but the twins will do anything for a laugh and there little brother who hasn't yet started school doesn't know that fact. So they tried to trick him and succeeded" Harry said laughing at the memory.

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened.**

**Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.**

**"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -**

Harry paused and took a deep breath, "Hermione you haven't stopped to take a breath yet." He said.

Hermione huffed and turned away again.

**I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course,**

"Even I didn't do that!" Malfoy said.

"That's because you probably knew most of the stuff. Hermione is a muggle-born she had something to prove to everyone"

**I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"  
She said all this very fast.**

**Harry looked at Ron and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learnt all the set books off by heart either.**

"Who does?" muttered Ron.

**"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.**

**"Harry Potter," said Harry.**

**"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."**

"Well, well, Potter more famous then you imagined." Snape who had been keeping silent finally spoke.

"Shut it you. Or I will bite you." Harry threatened

"Try it wimp"

So Harry jumped up and bit Severus on the arm.

"Ha" he said.

Draco shook his head and continued with the story

**"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.**

**"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in?**

**I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor,**

**It sounds by far the best,**

"Well, that's true," said Ron. "It-"

"Is the best," finished Harry. But that wasn't what he was thinking

**I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."**

**And she left, taking the toad less boy with her.**

**"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.**

"Really Ronald, that wasn't very nice." Hermione said reaching across Harry and smacking the red headed boy across the arm.

"I was eleven we made up didn't we?" he begged

**He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."**

**"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.  
"Gryffindor," said Ron.**

**Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."**

**"That's the house Vol- I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"**

"Always knew that house produced bad wizards." Ron murmured.

"Excuse me Weasley; I am not a bad wizard! Malfoy's eyes blazed and he looked about ready to kill.

"Mr. Weasley if you could please keep your prejudices to yourself." Dumbledore commented.

"And what about Pettigrew?" Harry asked "What house was he in?"

"Gryffindor" Ron murmured

"Right and what house was Moody in?"

"Slytherin"

"Exactly so shut up Ron each house can have good people or bad people okay?"

"Yes Harry"

James and Sirius snickered "Whipped" they whispered

**"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat looking depressed.**

**"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers's whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry trying to take Ron's mind off houses.**

"That was sweet of you Harry." Hermione smiled.

"That's him" Severus smiled

People were shocked to say the least.

**"So what do your oldest brothers do now they've left, anyway?"  
Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.**

**"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.**

**"Did you hear about the Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles - someone tried to rob a high-security vault."**

"So that's how you found out." McGonagall muttered.

**Harry stared.**

**"Really? What happened to them?"**

**"Nothing, that's why it's such big news, they haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd.**

"Very odd indeed." Malfoy answered.

**'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."**

"It's quite surprising actually," Harry commented and then elaborated once he got questioning glances, "Everyone thinks as soon as something bad happens that Moldyshorts is behind it right? Even when he's been supposedly dead for ten years. Then as soon as he does come back people try and say that he's not! That's just weird"

"The Wizarding world is ruled by Fudge Potter, how can it not be weird?" Draco asked

"Well true I was just pointing something out"

**Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying 'Voldemort' without worrying.**

**"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.**

"Oh yeah like I was supposed to know any".

"So … you could have asked me what I liked then just agreed with me"

"Sorry mate but the Chudley Cannons will never be that good" Harry said shaking his head.

Ron just glared.

**"Er - I don't know any," Harry confessed.**

**"What!" Ron looked dumfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world -" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he'd had the money.**

**He was just taking Harry through the finer point of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toad less boy or Hermione Granger this time.**

**Three boys entered and Harry recognized the middle one at once:**

"ME!" Malfoy shouted gleefully, "I knew this was getting boring."

**It was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.**

**"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"**

"I don't know how you didn't recognise me sooner." Harry said.

"Well one doesn't go looking at every black haired kid's forehead."

"So my scar would have been pretty damn easy to see"

"Well I wasn't looking at your forehead was I?"

**"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing either side of the pale boy they looked like bodyguards.**

**"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking.**

**"And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."**

"You should've said the amazing bouncing ferret, we would have listened then." Ron said with a smirk.

With a flick of a wand spider's began crawling all over Ron. The screaming could have burst your eardrums if Draco hadn't banished them.

"Good gods Weasley what was that?"

"Umm … I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anybody I scream like that" Ron mumbled his face a red bright enough to compete with his hair.

Everybody snickered

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.**

**"Think my name's funny, do you?**

"Well yeah, it is pretty funny," said Harry.

**No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles and more children than they can afford."**

**He turned back to Harry.  
"You'll soon find out some Wizarding families are much better than others, Potter.**

"Well, of course they are" Draco exclaimed

"Yes we know but it's not money that decides who the best are Malfoy" James muttered

**You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."**

**He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.**

**"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.**

"Haha you got served!" Harry shouted

"What?" Malfoy asked

"Ahh Muggle saying you wouldn't understand" Harry replied flippantly

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.  
"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents.**

"That was low," Ron glared darkly at the blond, "Even for you Malfoy."

"Yeah Malfoy way to make me hate you"

"That was very inappropriate Mr. Malfoy" Severus said

"Shut up you I have soo much blackmail on you I could make you shut up for like years" Draco growled

Severus paled and went quiet.

**They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid and it'll rub off on you."**

**Both Harry and Ron stood up.**

**Ron's face was as red as his hair.  
"Say that again," he said.**

**"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" sneered Malfoy.**

**"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.**

**"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."**

"That's considered theft Malfoy I thought you would be above such things," Hermione sniffed

**Goyle reached towards the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron -**

**Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.  
Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle -**

"Got what he deserved," Harry said.

"That was the only good thing that the rat did for us" Ron commented

**Crabbe and Malfoy backed away.**

"Wimps," The Trio muttered.

**As Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once.**

**Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking around the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard** **footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.**

"Am I that bad?" She asked.

"Well..." Ron began but was cut of as Harry slapped his hand over Ron's mouth.

**"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.**

**"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep."**

**And so he had.**

"It hurt being ignored like that you know" Hermione said

"Sorry" the boys muttered automatically

**"You've met Malfoy before?"**

**Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.**

**"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."**

"Quite true" Malfoy said ignoring the trios astonished looks in his direction, "What? I hate my father"

"You hate your father?" Harry asked for clarification

"Yes Potter it's not that hard too believe"

**He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"**

**"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up the front to ask the driver and he says we're nearly there.**

**You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

**"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron.**

"A true statement." McGonagoll said making most people jump since she had sat silent for so long.

**"Would you mind leaving while we change?"**

**"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"**

"I told you so." Hermione said happily.

"Whatever Hermione" Ron snapped

**Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep-purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.**

**He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his trainers underneath them.**

**"A voice echoed through the train: "we will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."**

**Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.**

**The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and Harry ­**

**heard a familiar voice: "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! All right there, Harry?"**

"Hagrid defiantly scared me when I first saw him." Hermione said with a little smile.

"Heh … I was confused when I saw him" Harry ignored the strange looks he was getting

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.**

**"C'mon, follow me - any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!"**

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.**

**"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."**

**There was a loud "Oooooh!"**

"Like a bunch of girls" Lily muttered

**The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.**

"Home sweet home," Ron grinned, "Right Harry?"

"Defiantly mate."

"**No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.**

**Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.**

"I bet you did that on purpose didn't you?" Draco snorted

By Hermione's bright red face you could guess that she had.

**"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, "Right then - FORWARD!"**

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the castle overhead.**

**It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.**

**"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which had a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out on to rocks and pebbles.**

**"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.**

"How did that toad even get in the boats?" Malfoy asked, "I thought Longbottom lost it on the train."

"Toads jump stupid" Sirius said

**"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, -"**

"Ew that just sounds plain, totally utterly wrong" Lily said

"**- holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last on to smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.**

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.**

**"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"  
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.**

"That's the end of the chapter, who's next?" Draco asked putting the book down on the table in front of him.

"I want Sirius too read" Harry shouted


	9. Sorting Hat Say What

CHAPTER SEVEN

"**CHAPTER SEVEN  
THE SORTING HAT**

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there.**

**She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.**

"The why must you insist upon crossing me all the time?" McGonagall asked

"I said you looked like someone not to cross I never said I wouldn't try or actually cross"

"Well said son" James laughed.

**"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.**

**"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."**

**She pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was so gig you could have fitted the whole of the Dursley's' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.**

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -**

"The Great Hall," muttered Ron.

"Congrats Weasley you know the layout of the school" Malfoy exclaimed sarcastically

**The rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.**

"Everyone is scared the first time they come to Hogwarts," said Ron.

"Yeah we know" Everyone muttered

**"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term-banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.**

"So no pressure if you don't like anyone in your house," Harry said with a smirk.

**The four houses are called Gryffindor,**

"The best house," said Ron, Sirius, Moony, Peter and James

**Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."**

Hisses ensued.

**Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards.**

"Oh yeah like who? Voldemort?" asked James

**While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points.**

"Only, some people don't seem to have grasped that fact yet" Hermione and Lily complained

Harry shrugged "What's your point?" he asked for everyone

**At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.**

**"The Sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.**

**Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose.**

"Once again Ron," Hermione uttered.

"How in the world did Longbottom's cloak get up there and get fastened?" Severus asked

"We don't know"

**Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.**

"A losing feat if there ever was one" James sighed

**"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."**

"You really know how to intimidate people" Malfoy commented

"Thank You Mr. Malfoy it is a valuable skill to posses and I do it with more subtlety than Severus over there" She smirked****

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

**"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.**

**"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."**

"Pity," Snape said looking up.

**Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet - what on earth would he have to do?**

**He hadn't expected something like this the moment he arrived.**

**He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learnt and wondering which one she'd need.**

"None," Hermione whispered, "I learnt them all for nothing."

"Well duh! Did you really think they would make you perform spells in front of the whole school on your first day?" Snape asked

"Yeah like we knew Sev" Harry complained

**Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursley's saying he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue.**

"Ooh maybe Fred and George could do something like that!" Ron said excitedly

"You mean appearance changers, kinda like skiving snackboxes?" Harry asked

"Yeah!"

"Oh My God that would be like soo cool"

**He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom.**

"You never think positive do you?" Malfoy asked

"Nope"

**Then something happened which made him jump about a foot in the air - several people behind him screamed.  
"What the -?"**

**He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the first-years.**

**They seemed to be arguing.**

"Peeves," Everybody said.

**What looked like a fat little monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"  
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"**

"Well I dunno … a bunch of kids plain black robes with no house symbol … I wonder what the hell we could be doing there?" Ron muttered

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first-years.**

**Nobody answered.**

**"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"**

**A few people nodded mutely.**

**"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."**

"Why would you be proud to be in Hufflepuff?" Severus asked

"Because Hufflepuff are loyal, unlike you snakes" James said

"Dad" Harry warned

**"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."**

**Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.**

**"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first-years, "and follow me."**

**Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.**

**Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.**

"That was one of the scariest things I've ever lived through" Malfoy muttered

"What?" the Gryffindor trio asked

"Well I mean come on there's all those kids watching you, then the teacher's are sat this great golden table watching you and then you see a murky old hat! What do you think?" Malfoy exclaimed

**The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."**

"You mean you read that?" James asked

"Yes, I would have rather known at least something about where I was going" Hermione sniffed

**It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open up to the heavens.**

**Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat.**

**This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.**

**Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Harry thought wildly,**

"Why would you have to pull a Rabbit out of a hat?" Severus asked

"It's a muggle trick" Lily said "Magician's in the muggle world use special tricks and glamour's to make the audience think that they can pull real things out of a hat"

"Oh"

**That seemed the sort of thing - noticing that everyone in the Hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it too.**

**For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:**

"Please don't sing," Harry said.

"Just because of that request Prongslet I will sing just for you." Sirius grinned cheekily

_**"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
your top hats sleek and tall,  
for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
and I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting hat can't see,  
so try me on and I will tell you  
where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,**_

_**Where dwell the brave at heart,  
their daring, nerve and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;**_

_**You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find there kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin**_

_**You'll make your real friends,  
those cunning folk use any means  
to achieve their ends.**_

_**So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
for I'm a Thinking Cap!**_

**The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.  
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred; he was going on about wrestling a troll."**

Dumbledore let out a fit of laughter, making the others sitting around him slightly shift away in their chairs.

"That's quite ironic you know" Harry muttered

**Harry smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he wished he could have tried it on without everyone watching.**

**The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment.**

**If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.**

"Oh please. If that were true, then most of the first years would end up there!" Hermione said.

"Shut up Hermione"

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.**

**When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"  
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause - "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.**

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.**

"He's a ghost!" exclaimed Ron. "Why does he always have to be so cheerful?"

"Because .. he wants to be" Harry said

**"Bones, Susan!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.**

**"Boot, Terry!"**

**"RAVENCLAW!"**

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.**

**"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor**

Harry began a fit of fake coughs words that sounded suspiciously like 'Lav-Lav' and 'Won-Won' seemed to make themselves known quite a lot.

Ron blushed and dived at Harry whilst Hermione's eyes narrowed before she started laughing.

"Now now Ron … it's not my fault you have the strangest nickname a relationship has ever seen."

"Potter!!"

"Ahh noo Ron get off! Sev! Sev help! Mum Dad anybody!"

Everybody was laughing as Ron pinned Harry down and continuously jinxing him with the Tickling Jinx.

When Ron finaly got off of Harry, Harry also sported a short miniskirt made of pink leather and a small black corset, he was wearing hot pink stilettos' and had a lot of make up on. Even Harry's voice had been changed to that of a girls' as they learned when Harry screamed.

"I will get my revenge" and Harry stomped into a corner and sat there sulking. Plotting his ever so sweet revenge.

**And the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.**  
"**Bulstrode, Millicent then became the first Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked an unpleasant lot.**

"That is kind of why we are perceived as evil. We don't show our emotions. I mean why should we? Emotion's weaken us" Malfoy snarled

"Okay okay calm down" Sirius muttered

**He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during sports lessons at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they like him.**

**"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

**Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus", the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.**

**"Granger, Hermione!"**

**Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.**

**"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.**

**Ron groaned.**

"Ronald Weasley how could you?"

"Hermione you were an extremely snobbish eleven year old do you really think I wanted to know I was going to spend the next seven years with you?"

**A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous.**

**What if he wasn't chosen at all?**

"That wouldn't happen!" stated McGonagall "The letter reached you that's good enough"

**What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he'd better get back on the train?**

**When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool.**

**The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted "GRYFFINDOR",**

"No offense to Neville but I don't get why it put him there" Ron muttered

**Neville ran off still wearing it,**

The boys laughed

**and had to jog amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."**

**Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"**

"That was obvious," Ron murmured.

"The hat recognises power when it see's it" Malfoy sneered

"Power you mean evil?" Ron asked

Nobody noticed the small paddling pool of mud appear behind Ron. Harry snickered quietly to himself.

**Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.**

**There weren't many people left now.**

**"Moon" ... "Nott" ... "Parkinson ... then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" ... then "Perks, Sally-Anne" ... and then, at last- "Potter, Harry!"**

**As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.**

"That was to be expected," Snape sneered.

"But it doesn't mean I have to like it." Harry answered back.

**"Potter, did she say?"**

**"The Harry Potter?"**

**The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the Hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.**

"Yey we get to find out what the hat said to Harry!" someone squealed

**"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult.**

"The hat talks to you?" Malfoy asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well yes, but you wouldn't know since you got sorted before it even messed up your perfect hair," Ron said with a mocking voice.

**Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes"**

"See told you I was smart" Harry shouted

**- and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting ... So where shall I put you?"**

"What do you mean WHERE?!" James shouted "There's only one choice for a Potter"

**Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin."**

**"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure?**

"Oh dear Christ, Potter in Slytherin." Malfoy gasped

"Can it Malfoy" someone muttered

**You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that -**

"You never told us this Harry?" Hermione frowned looking at the back of Harry's corset

"Heh … didn't I?" he asked hesitantly

"No"

"Oh"

H** No?**

**Well, if you're sure –**

"Of course he's sure" Sirius shouted

**Better be GRYFFINDOR!"**

"What on would the Wizarding world have done if Boy Wonder got put in Slytherin?" Malfoy asked.

"Don't call me that!" Harry said dangerously turning around

"Now, now, boys." Dumbledore calmed the two rivals down and they all looked to Sirius for him to read on.

**Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole Hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin; he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"**

**Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden, horrible feeling he'd just plunged into a bucket of ice-cold water.**

Ron shivered and said, "I hate it when they do that!"

"Do you?" Harry asked "I think it's quite refreshing sometimes"

This time everybody notice the bright yellow tutu Ron was now sat in complete with a black corset and small antenna growing out of the top of his head. Ron also had black dolly shoes. All in all he looked like a overgrown red haired Bumble-bee. Suddenly Ron flew back and landed into the conveniently placed mud-bath behind him.

Everyone laughed as Harry stood up and banished the paddling pool leaving Ron covered in mud then walking past Ron dropped some white feather's on top of him and changed his own clothes back.

Sirius calmed himself down and began reading again … or at least tried to as when Ron tried to start talking to shout at Harry a series of buzzing noise issued from his mouth. Harry laughing canceled all spells on Ron and let him sit down again.

Sirius took a deep breath and began again -

**He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs-up. Harry grinned back. And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd got out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole Hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban. **

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Turpin, Lisa" became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now.**

"Really Ron I don't know why you were so worried you were bound to get into Gryffindor"

"Doesn't mean I can't worry" he mumbled still embarrassed about what Harry did.

**Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"**

"That was a given," Hermione muttered to Harry's nod.

**Harry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to him.**

**"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise" was made a Slytherin.**

"Zabini is a good friend of mine" Malfoy commented his eyes going misty as he though about his 'Friend'

"Huh .. he spaced out! Does that happen often?" Harry asked

"Only when Zabini is involved" was the quick reply

**Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.**

**Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.**

**Albus Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.**

"A new year at Hogwarts always brightens my mood." Dumbledore smiled happily.

"I'm sure that's not the only thing"

**"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"**

"What are those words about?" Ron asked

"Why don't you try and figure it out Mr. Weasley"

Hermione closed her eyes for a second trying to wrack her brains for any clue as to why the Headmaster said those words.

"Erm, 'Mione," Harry got her attention, "We're in the Room of Requirement." She blushed slightly and looked at the wall which was covered in various bookcases.

**He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.**

**"Is he - a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly.**

"That's the nicest comment anyone has ever made about me when they have just met me" Dumbles said happily

**"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"  
Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and, for some reason, mint humbugs.**

"I'm hungry now." Ron moaned.

"Just think about food, the room will give it to you." Malfoy said unharshly.

"Oh yeah"

**The Dursley's had never exactly starved Harry,**

"Lies all lies!" Harry shouted

**but he'd never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry wanted, even if it made him sick.**

"Brat," Malfoy muttered.

**Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the humbugs and began to eat. It was delicious.**

**"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak.  
"Can't you-?"**

**"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicolas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."**

"But instead of saying all that rubbish," said Ron, "just call him Nearly Headless Nick!"

**"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"**

Harry chuckled softly.

**"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnegan interrupted.**

**"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"  
Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.**

"Seamus shouldn't have asked that, not only is it incredibly rude but it almost put me off my dinner," Hermione said stiffly.

"Nothing can put me off of my food!" Ron exclaimed proudly before digging back into the mountain he had obtained.

"Hehe we'll see" Harry snickered "Ron there's a spider in your food!!" Harry yelled

Ron screamed and ran away from the food.

"Thought nothing could put you off of your food?" Harry asked innocently

**"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell on to his shoulder as if it was on a hinge.**

**Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back on to his neck, coughed and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the House Championship this year? Gryffindor have never gone so long without winning.**

**Slytherin have got the cup six years in a row!**

"Ha! Beat that Gryffindorks," Malfoy smirked "Umm sorry Professor's" he added

**The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."**

**Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Harry was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.**

"No, I wasn't it was cold sat next to him"

**"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.**

**"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.**

"More like he was too scared." Harry commented under his breath.

"Does he ever talk?" Ron asked

"He used too now he's just silent" McGonagall commented

**When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the puddings appeared. Blocks of ice-cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding...**

"Just gotta love the Hogwarts feasts." Ron commented licking his lips.

**As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.**

**"I'm half and half," said Seamus. "Me Dad's a Muggle. Mam didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."**

"Did you know that Seamus' mother was a Slytherin?" Harry asked

Severus' and Draco looked shocked and pale. They nearly fainted.

"What? Why would a Slytherin marry a muggle?"

"Do you not know who his father is?" Ron asked

"Obviously not"

"Have you ever heard of a business called Aftanight Technology?"

"Yes" Snape and Malfoy nodded

"Well the Head of the Company is none other than Seamus' father"

"So even though he's a muggle, it's a power marriage?" They asked for clarification.

"Yerp" the Gryffindors chirped.

**The others laughed.**

**"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.**

**"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was a Muggle for ages.**

"Doesn't he mean a Squib?" asked Malfoy.  
"Probably." someone muttered.

**My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but nothing happened until I was eight. Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go.**

"That's practically abuse," Hermione scowled. "How could his Grandmother allow this"

"You would be surprised what some people allow to happen Hermione" Harry growled

**But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great-uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad.**

**On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons (I do hope they start straight away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else,**

"It is a fascinating subject." McGonagoll commented.

"That's because you teach it Minerva." Snape pointed out.

**Of course, it's supposed to be very difficult -"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing -")  
Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the high table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin.**

"That's not a very flattering description," Snape sneered.

"But it's just so true Sevvie" Harry muttered "Your hair isn't greasy anymore though and your teeth aren't as yellow" he added when Severus sent a death glare his way. "But it doesn't change the intimidation act I swear" when the glare intensified.

"Good, I like being intimidating it helps control my class."

**It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes - and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.**

"It wasn't me," Snape defended himself.

"I know that now" Harry said soothingly

"**Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.**

**"What is it?" asked Percy.**

**"N-nothing."**

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off the feeling Harry had from the teacher's look - a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.**

**"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy.**

**"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job.**

"I still don't understand why you won't let me have the defense job" Snape whined

"There are certain reasons I will not allow it Severus" Dumbles answered

**Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape.**

"Well duh what's the point in teaching the defense if you don't know what your defending against" Remus asked

"Well said older me" Moony smiled

**Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.**

**At last, the puddings too disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The Hall fell silent.**

**"Ahem - just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."**

**First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils.**

"Only Harry and Ron keep forgetting!" said Hermione, looking annoyed.

"So do these four" Lily smiled pointing to the Marauder's

**And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.**

"I think they knew … they" Ron started

"Just didn't care" Harry finished grinning

**"I have also been asked my Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used in the corridors.  
Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."**

**Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.**

**"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy.**

"I think you found out that I was don't you?" Dumbledore asked

"What do you mean by that?" James and Lily asked their son

"Umm .. you'll find out" Harry shrugged uncomfortably.

**"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I think he might have told us Prefects, at least."**

**"And now before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.**

"Really Albus, that song is so old and yet you insist in singing it," Minerva said huffily.

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he were trying to get a fly off the end and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself snake-like into words.**

**"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"  
And the school bellowed:**

"Sirius I mean it do NOT sing this time"

"Aww meanie" Sirius pouted

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.**

Dumbledore chuckled while going through the song in his head.

**Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped **

**"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"**

"Why are you treating us like Horses?" Peter asked

"Because I like horses"

"So what … you just treat us like property?" Peter asked

"Now Peter let's leave Dumbles alone" Sirius said

**The Gryffindor first-years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase.**

**Harry's legs were like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry was wondering how much further they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.**

**A bundle of walking sticks was floating in mid-air ahead of them and as Percy took a step towards them they started throwing themselves at him.**

"Peeves," muttered Harry. The others nodded in agreement.

**"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first-years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself."  
A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.**

**"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"**

"Threatening him with the Baron," said Malfoy, "that's low!"

**There was a pop and a little man with wicked dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.**

"He's cool and annoying at the same time!" exclaimed Ron.

**"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle firsties! What fun!"**

**He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.**

**"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.**

**Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.**

"Why is he so scared of the Baron anyway"

"I think it's to do with the blood stains"

"Oh"

Malfoy began laughing as the conversation ended. "Haha hi first day and he's already getting walking stick's on his head."

**"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy as they set off again.**

"Bit of an understatement, isn't it?" commented Harry, laughing.

**"The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us Prefects. Here we are."**

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.**

"I knew that was the entrance it had to be it was the only floor sized portrait in that hallway" Draco exclaimed

**"Password?" she said.**

**"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it - Neville needed a leg up -**

"Head of the Dragon?" Draco commented "A password worthy of a Slytherin"

**And found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase - they were obviously in one of the towers - they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep-red velvet curtains.**

"That was really painful for me to wake up to" Harry complained

"I know all the red and gold" Draco said "Must have hurt"

"Oh yeah and what about your common room all that green and black and it's really freezing down in those bloody dungeon's"

"It's called wearing clothes … Wait how do you know the colors of our common room and the temperature" Snape asked suspiciously

"Umm … moving on" Harry said motioning for Sirius to carry on reading.

**Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pyjamas and fell into bed.**

**"Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings. "Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."**

"Stupid rat...go die...painfully..." Ron muttered glaring at the book once again.

"Mr. Weasley!" McGonagoll said in surprise.

"It's true though he really should Professor." Harry said.

"Well that version should" Hermione commented

**Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once**. **Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream.**

**He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny.**

"I think that I would have been very scared if you had been sorted into Slytherin." Snape whispered

**Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier; he tried to pull it off, but it tightened painfully - and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it -**

"Ewwie … Potter's dreaming of me … at age eleven"

"Quiet Malfoy"

**Then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold - there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.**

**He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he didn't remember the dream at all.**

"Ewwie...you were dreaming of Snape!" Malfoy commented

"Yeah he likes it" Harry snickered

"And the Avada Kedavra." Hermione added in a small voice.

"So … who wants to read next"

"I will" Sevvie volunteered

A/n And Whoopie Another Chapter


	10. A whole chapter all to myself

"Righty then" Harry cheered "Off you go Sev"

**A/n : Ah ha I am Back D Umm there shall be more at the end of the chapter but I am just mentioning some things. Draco shall from now be called Draco I might slip and say Malfoy sometimes but that's that. Sevvie will be Severus. And Dumbledore Shall be Dumble-Bee (Because I Really Do Not Like Him) unless it's someone other than Sev, Draco, Harry Ron Remus or Peter talking to him then it will turn back to Dumbledore. Hope That's Not Confusing. Anyways On With The Story … **

**Oh yeah and … I think it was last chapter I mentioned Peter had the Dark Mark. Yeah I umm changed my mind because I know at the beginning of the story I said he didn't have the mark. Well he does now it goes with the unidentifiable plot I have in my head. Read on **

"**Righty then" Harry cheered "Off you go Sev"**

**CHAPTER EIGHT  
THE POTIONS MASTER**

"Finally, I get a whole chapter, all to myself" Severus squealed.

Yes that's right folks. Squealed. Like a little girl. He squealed.

People were scared, until the dark professor cleared his throat and began reading again.

**"There, look."**

**"Where?"**

**"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."**

"The tall kid with red hair," Ron scowled, "Is that what they thought of me?"

"Obviously Weasley. Otherwise they wouldn't have said it would they?" Draco asked sarcastically

Ron glared, but quieted down.

**"Wearing the glasses?"**

**"Did you see his face?"**

**"Did you see his scar?"  
Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day.**

**People queuing outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes.**

"I was nearing 'Kill someone' stage by lunch I mean really they couldn't even tell me where the bathroom was they were that busy staring at my forehead" Harry exclaimed

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts:**

"Bloody hell who would count them?" Peter asked

"It's in Hogwarts: A History" Six voices recited back to him

**wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked them politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place,"**

"You know I always found that so weird" Peter said

**and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other and Harry was sure the coats of armour could walk.**

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open.**

"I nearly had a heart attack when I first saw one of them come out of a room" Lily muttered

"Oh yeah I remember that" Snape said "Weren't we trying to get into a locked door somewhere on the abandoned corridor of the third floor?"

"Yeah we were"

"Hold up" James shouted. He rounded on Snape angrily "Just what are you doing near MY Lily Snivellus?"

"Excuse me? Your Lily?" Lily turned onto James "I am my own person and I do not belong to anybody James Potter!"

"And Dad call him Snivellus again and you'll see why people know I'm the one to defeat the Dark Lord again" Harry said

James looked like a little child who'd just got told he couldn't have a cookie.

**Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop waste-paper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"**

"He did that to me three times," Ron said while holing up three fingers to make his point

"Wow Weasley you can count, and you have such a huge nose anyway it's not a surprise that he did it to you" Malfoy sneered

"Five points from Slytherin, Mr Malfoy," McGonagoll snapped.

"Five points to Slytherin, for being truthful to your classmates." Snape said awarding back the points.

"At least it's not as big as Snape's." Ron pointed out to Harry with a grin. The Potions professor turned with a scowl.

"What was that Weasley?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing what?"

"I dunno?"

"Nothing sir!"

"No need to call me sir."

"Twenty points from Gryffindor!" Snape yelled in frustration.

"Sev calm down, Ron say that again and next time you won't look like a bumble bee ok?"

"Yes Harry" Ron replied quietly

**"Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch.**

"Yeah, he is worse," said Harry, "Always popping up randomly and scaring the life out of you."

"Yeah but it's not like he could hurt you is it Potter?" Draco snickered "Imagine Saviour of the Wizarding World afraid of a little old squib"

"It could be worse. I could be afraid of rats or ice"

"I am not scared of ice" Draco yelled paling

"And I'm not a boy, just imagine Ice Prince of Slytherin scared of ice" Harry laughed

"Shut it Pothead"

"I don't do drugs"

"Haha" Sirius laughed

**Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of Filch on their very first morning.**

"That's gotta be a record it took us nearly a week!" Peter exclaimed

**Filch found them trying to force their way through a door which unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor.**

"We seriously didn't know where we were." Ron added at the accusing looks from the two head of houses.

**He wouldn't believe they were lost,**

"Like Filch would ever listen to us" Hermione scowled

**was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.**

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamp-like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins)**

"And the Marauders, of course," Harry said with a large grin.

"Yeah the Marauder's rule" James Sirius Moony and Peter chanted

"Who are the Marauder's?" Malfoy asked feeling very confused

"Those assholes sat across from you" Severus whispered and Harry smacked him

**"and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.**

"I did it once … sent her flying down the corridor" Harry said

"Ten points-"

"I placed a cushioning charm down before she landed" Harry hastened to add cutting off his head of house

"To Gryffindor for doing what we have wished to do since Filch bought that cat"

**And then, once you managed to find them, there were the lessons themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.**

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learnt how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for.**

"Boring," Ron yawned.

**Easily the most boring lesson was History of Magic,**

"Agreed," The everybody but Dumble-Bee and McGonagall muttered.

**Which was the only class taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff-room fire and got up the next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates and got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to be seen over his desk.**

"Flitwick is my favorite teacher" Lily commented

"The DADA teacher's mine" James said

"What?" shouted the other four Gryffindor's (past one's obviously) and Severus shouted

"You mean Professor Sabriel(1)?" Remus asked for clarification

"Yerp that's the one" James answered

"But Prongs she's a bitch!" Sirius wailed "She gives us detentions all the time"

"Yeah Potter" Severus agreed "Although thinking back she never gave you detention and you went to see her at least three times a week. Lily told me" He added as he noticed James was about to say something.

"Yes well … That's private" James muttered patches of red blossoming on his cheeks.

Lily shot him a suspicious glance.

**At the start of their first lesson he took the register, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.**

**Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross.**

"That's an understatement." murmured Ron.

**Strict and clever,**

"You're not kidding!" exclaimed Harry.

"Really" Draco added sarcastically "I just thought she was a dunce"

**she gave them a talking-to the moment they had sat down in her first class.**

**"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."**

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again.**

"Your mean" Harry pouted "You got all my hopes up"

"I could do that by third year" James scoffed

**They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.**

**After making a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle.**

"Simple!" exclaimed Harry.

**By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile.**

"Ah ha!" Hermione yelled making everyone jump "'Only Hermione Granger' not anybody else just me!" she gave Harry a superior look and he just scoffed at her.

"Ah but my dear Hermione can you do this?" He asked and pointed his wand at Draco.

Harry muttered a few choice words and made a straight line down the middle of Draco's body. Said body split into five different body parts and each transformed into a different animal. There was a white ferret, a green turtle with a jet black shell, a white tiger, a swan and a small polar bear. Then Harry muttered three more words and drew another line, this time going up Draco's body and each animal melted back together and Draco stood exactly where he had been before.

To say everyone was shocked was most likely an understatement.

"Potter" McGonagall's voice broke the silence "Where did you learn that?" she asked disbelief lacing the undertones of her voice.

"How did you learn that?" Severus put in

"Potter what did you do to me?" Draco demanded

"Well I found an extremely old book in a secret room down in the Chamber of Secrets. Then I just practiced, a lot, it took me ages to master that spell and basically what I did was split you down into five different animals, that's all" Harry explained

Severus cleared his throat and began to read again.

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defence against the Dark Arts,**

"Everyone likes that subject," Draco said

"Yeah but we have had some right dunce's as teacher's" Ron said

"Yeah we've only had two decent ones" Harry muttered

"What do you mean two? Only decent one we've had is Remus" Hermione said

"No fourth year was pretty good" Harry replied

"What? Harry that was a death eater impersonating Moody"

"So? How much did we learn that year really?"

"A lot" his fellow classmates admitted grudginly

**but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days.**

"He didn't need to worry about any Vampire's" Harry growled

**His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnegan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell ­**

**hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.**

"He wasn't a very good Defence teacher was he?" Hermione mused.

"We've established that Granger" Draco sneered

**Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

**Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.**

"And that's something to be proud of?" Malfoy asked raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, the Tower isn't exactly close to the Entrance hall is it?" Hermione answered.

"Oh so you live in one of the tower's" Malfoy muttered

"Hey we should celebrate! Can we have a cake please?" James asked proud of his son

A large chocolate and vanilla cake appeared half in green half in scarlet and tasted really nice. Ron was just scoffing it all in his mouth.

**"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.  
"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's head of Slytherin house. They all say he favours them - we'll be able to see if it's true."**

"It is." Ron said with a small glare at Snape.

"Someone has to when the rest of the school hates them for being in a house, foolish boy. Why do you think most of them turn to the Dark Lord? Because they lived a life of ridicule at other's hands and the Dark Lord promises them they can have power and revenge!" Severus finished his tirade looking extremely pissed off

Harry laid a comforting arm over Severus' shoulders and watched his lover take a deep breath before continuing.

**"Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Harry.**

**Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor house, but it hadn't stopped her giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.**

"I will not show favouritism in any form." McGonagoll said with a sniff.

"Liar" Snape sneered

"Excuse me Severus?" Minerva asked looking shocked

"I said 'Liar' because if you two" he sneered motioning towards Dumble-Bee as well "Do not favor those four I don't know what favoritism truly is. He" pointing at Sirius "should have been expelled for the attempt on my life in sixth year. And Potter should have been expelled or at least suspended after the display after the defense O.W.L and for the time they knocked me out and hung me from the entrance hall from a rope and made me wear bright pink robes saying 'Watch it Snivellus we'll be waiting all the time With Love The Marauders' They all should have got more than the detention that they did for it, and what about the rest of the Slytherins? Want to know a fact Dumbledore? Our graduating year of 1977 do you know how many student's from the school joined the Corpse Munchers? 50! When asked more than three quarters of the reason's were the four little bastards over there" Severus finished his rant and turned away tears streaming down his face as his shoulder's shook. Harry glared at his _father_ and his _godfather _a look of utter disgust crossing his features. He reached into an inside pocket of his robes and pulled out a small case. He enlarged it and took out a small baby blue colored potion in a see through vial and held it out for Severus. He took it quickly and continued with the book.

**Just then, the post arrived. Harry had got used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners and dropping letters and packages on to their laps.**

**Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls.**

**This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note on to Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once.**

_**Dear Harry,**_** (it said, in a very untidy scrawl)**

"Hagrid," Hermione muttered.

_**I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.  
Hagrid.**_

**Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled 'Yes, please, see you later' on the back of the note and sent off Hedwig again.**

"Hey! That makes me sound like some sort of person who doesn't care about his pets!" Harry protested

"Just ignore it Potter" Draco muttered still thinking about what his godfather had said

**It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far.**

**At the start-of-term-banquet, Harry had got the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong.**

"Wrong?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow at Harry.

**Snape didn't dislike Harry - he hated him.**

"Sounds more like it!" said Harry.

**Potions lessons took place in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.**

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.**

**"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."**

"Really Severus," McGonagall muttered

"You be quiet" Harry snapped

McGonagall looked appalled at Harry's audacity and was about to say something else before she was cut off again.

"No save it, you have pissed me off mightily I have half a mind to go and get resorted because I don't want to be anywhere near you, hurt the people I love you have me to deal with and now you've seen what I can really do, do you want me as your enemy?" He asked in a soft dangerous voice.

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands.**

**Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

"Only you Harry" Severus smiled

**"You are here to learn the subtle science, and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.**

**"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."**

"Really Severus! Do you always insult your students?" McGonagoll asked with a scowl.

"No he just intimidates them so that they try not to mess up" Draco said

**More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

**"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"**

"Like I was to know that's second year stuff!" Harry exclaimed

**Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was, Hermione's hand shot into the air.**

**"I don't know, sir," said Harry.**

"It's rather obvious he wouldn't know that." Malfoy stated with a shrug and to the Gryffindors amazement no sneer on his pale features.

**Snape's lips curled into a sneer.  
"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."  
He ignored Hermione's hand.**

**"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"**

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was.**

"A bezoar is taken from the stomach of a goat, and will counter act the least deadly poisons and when used as an ingredient in certain potions it helps counteract most deadly poisons as well." Hermione said, repeating a passage from a book she had read.

"Your not really that smart are you?" Draco asked

"What?" Hermione growled

"Well I mean you don't put your own opinions into things you just blindly believe that someone wrote it so it must be right you don't actually write the stuff yourself"

**He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.**

Ron gave the Slytherin a small glare but didn't pursue the matter.

**"I don't know, sir."  
"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"**

"Do you really think I had the chance weather the author mentions I was reading the books or not?" Harry asked quietly

"I'm sorry Harry" Severus whispered

Lily gaped. The only time she had heard those words come out of his mouth was after the fifth year incident which she had easily forgiven him for of course but still. Wow, her son must truly mean a lot to him.

**Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?**

"Obviously," Ron muttered.

**Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.  
"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"**

"There is no difference, and they are also known as Aconite." muttered Hermione.

**At this, Hermione stood up, he hand stretching towards the dungeon ceiling.  
"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"**

**A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.**

"Is he ever"

"Oh yes" Harry snickered "He can be very pleased sometimes" he smirked waiting for the explosion.

Hermione, Ron and Draco just gaped before starting to laugh. Dumbledore looked mightily disgusted and McGonagall fainted. Remus just laughed. The Marauder's had the most interesting reactions, Sirius and James clung to each other screaming words like 'My son/godson and Snape. Ew, ew, ew. Nooo" and other such words. Lily just paled and began crying over the fact her son had gotten the other man she loved. Peter just shook his head and kissed Remus.

**"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"**

"Because you never told us too" Ron muttered

"Well how much common sense was it?" Severus asked

"Not a lot" Ron mumbled back.

**There was a rummage for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek, Potter."**

"One point to Gryffindor, for telling the truth."

**Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone, except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like.**

**He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes.**

"It wouldn't have happened if he could read and pay attention to what he was doing" Draco laughed

**Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

**"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"**

"How did you know that?" Peter asked

"I'm a potion's master I know what nearly every potion in the world can do at all possible stages"

"Woah and how long did it take you to learn that?" Moony asked

"Eleven years"

"Woah" The Marauder's whispered their respect for the potion's master going up several notches.

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.  
"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.**

**"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?**

"Because he was busy making the potion!" Exclaimed Sirius

**Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."**

"UNFAIR!' shouted McGonagoll, "One point to Gryffindor for concentrating on your potion."

**This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.**

**"Don't push it," he muttered. "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."**

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind was racing and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor in his very first week -**

**Why did Snape hate him so much?**

"Because he thinks you're like your Father!" exclaimed McGonagall angrily glaring at Snape.

"Oh my god will you just shut up woman!" Lily yelled

**"Cheer up," said Ron.**

**"Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"  
At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.**

**When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang - Back."**

"Why is it that Hagrid's pets the one's that aren't viscous get names that make you think of some beast and the really big viscous one's get cute names like Fluffy and Norbert" Ron asked

"I don't know" Hermione replied shaking her head

**Hagrid's big hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.  
"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.**

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

**"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears.**

"Ew." Malfoy said with a small look of disgust.

**Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.  
"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes on to a plate.**

The trio all winced, for they all had experience with Hagrid's cooking.

**"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spend half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the Forest."**

**The rock cakes almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid about their first lessons.**

"Why would you even try and be polite, just tell him that you're not hungry!" James muttered

**Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled over his robes.**

Everyone laughed and winced at the same time.

**Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."**

**"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang some time.**

**D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Filch puts her up to it."**

**Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry no to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.**

**"But he seemed to really hate me."**

"Actually, I really don't" Severus muttered

**"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"**

**Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.**

**"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron.**

**"I liked him a lot - great with animals."  
Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose.**

**While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cosy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:**

_**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST  
Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown.  
Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that ­**_

_**was searched had in fact been emptied the same day. "But we're not telling what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon.**_

**Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

**"Hagrid!" said Harry. "That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"**

**There was no doubt about it; Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake.**

**Harry read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying,**

**Taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

**As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid.**

**Had Hagrid collected that package just in time?**

**Where was it now?**

**And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?**

"Ah so that's how your little investigation team got started" McGonagall muttered

"Yep so who's turn is it to read?" Ron asked

"I will" Lily offered

"Okay Chapter 9 …"

A/n haha Chapter finished

Right now I have a little question. I mention that James sneaks off to see the DADA teacher of his time three times a week. What I need please is a reason. Because even though I wrote it I cannot find a really good reason for him to go … so if you could help.

Review please .

Crossfire.Technicalites.x


	11. Anyone Up For A Run ?

A/n Bonjour Peoples

A/n Bonjour Peoples!!

Here we go another chapter but first for once .. I think some review responses!!

Sage the SongWriter: Your encouragement astounds me Laugh But I like it. It gives me more motivation shall we say. Thanks and keep reviewing.

BaileyElaine19: Grin Thanks I hope all my future chapters make you laugh. Thank you and read on.

Tickledorange: I could feel the excitement and I'm grateful, hopefully you will enjoy the rest of the story.

Emerald.Vs.Silver: Ooh What an awesome idea, I knew there was a reason I loved your mind always think of good ideas.

PadfootLover13: Umm I really don't mean to sound sarcastic and bitchy or anything but it's AU for god's sake I can make it what I want and obviously if I'm putting in a Snape/Harry pairing Snape doesn't hate Harry. I scared you and for that I'm sorry but for the future please don't make assumptions of my sexuality. You don't know me so I really don't see why you mentioned it. And it's a shame you find some of the stuff I'm writing sick and wrong, but if you don't like it I guess you just don't like it. I am upset over losing your support for the story as you seem to like it.

Yumi-Tenshi: Hmm. I get the part your saying about snapping at Hermione. But sometimes I just really don't like her … or Dumbles. Thanks for the support hopefully as I'm on summer holidays from school I'll try and get the story finished.

ligerzero626: Yeah the part with the DADA teacher scared me too I don't even know why I put it in there.

Come to think of it I don't know why I put in there that Peter kissed Moony. Just ignore that bit.

Righty Here We Go:

**CHAPTER NINE  
THE MIDNIGHT DUEL **

**Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy. **

"Hey I resent that!" Draco exclaimed

**Still, first-year Gryffindors only had potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much.**

**Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room which made them groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.**

"I remember that lesson" Ron yelped gleefully

"Yes Ron I think we all do" Hermione said looking calmly at Draco.

"Don't worry son, flying is in a Potter's blood so to speak we've always been at least better than average at it" James grinned

**"Typical," said Harry darkly.**

**"Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."**

"Hey why just me there were other Slytherins there as well you know"

"Yeah we know I was scared of being stood on the ground and if, and I mean if, Crabbe and Goyle actually got off the ground being underneath them whilst the broom broke" Harry confessed

"Yeah I was worried about that too" Draco said.

Most of the room was shocked to say the least.

**He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.**

**"You don't know you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."**

"It certainly was not talk I am excellent on a broom" Draco snapped

"Yeah that's true only real competition I have here at Hogwarts" Harry muttered

"Haha I heard that Potter"

**Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot.**

**He complained loudly about first-years never getting in the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories which always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.**

"You actually knew the name of the thing?" Hermione asked

"Yes I'm not completely hopeless you know" Draco replied arrogantly

"Well yes I know but your father is all anti muggle one would think you didn't know stuff like that" She replied

"My _Father _is a mental-case for the first six or seven years of my life he educated me on 'The Enemy' saying you could only fight fire with fire or something of utter crap like that" Draco said

"Oh"

**He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick.**

**Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hand-glider on Charlie's old broom.**

**Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly.**

"Well, no" Ron said sarcastically

"I wonder why" Draco added on

"It's not like it's the only sir suspended game in the world" Harry put in

"And it's not like the whole Wizarding world follows it" James said

"So basically it's not really a wonder why Wizarding folk follow it" Sirius finished

**Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about football.**

"I still don't get the game" Ron muttered "I mean why would you want to sit around and watch a bunch of people keep their feet on the ground and kick a ball around?"

"Oh I don't know" Lily said annoyed with all the interruptions "Why would you want to sit around and watch fourteen people fly around on broomsticks throwing a ball?"

"Okay point made just continue with the story please" Peter said

**Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham football team, trying to make the players move.**

Everyone but McGonagall and Dumbles (the spoil sports) started to laugh.

**Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one.**

**Privately, Harry felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.**

**Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was.**

"That's because you couldn't learn it step by step out of a book" Ron snickered

"Did you really think that would have stopped her from trying?" Harry asked

"Ahh good ole' Moony here is exactly the same" James and Sirius shouted

"Hey" both Remus and Moony said.

**This was something you couldn't learn be heart out of a book - not that she hadn't tried.**

"We told you" Ron, Harry Sirius and James chanted

**At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd got out of a library book called **_**Quidditch through the Ages.**_

"That's is a good book" Draco allowed himself to say

"Yeah but nothing is better than actually flying around" Harry muttered

**Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the post.**

**Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course.**

"Why is it such a big deal anyway?" Lily asked

"Because I was a petty first year?" Malfoy tried cowering under the glare he was receiving from the future Mrs. Potter

"Well … it's at least better than I thought you would come up with" she said as she turned back to the book to read

**Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.**

"That really was a sickening sight to see you know" Severus said

Draco turned to him looking betrayed

"Come on Draco you have to admit it was"

"Yeah" Draco sighed "Yeah I guess it was"

**A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them all a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.**

**"It's a Rememberall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh..." His face fell, because the Rememberall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "... you've forgotten something..."**

"Haha it went scarlet!" Sirius burst out laughing

"Yeah so?" James asked

"Have you never seen the color chart for a rememberall?" Sirius asked

There was a scary large amount out shaking heads.

"Okay well there's red which means you've forgotten at least one thing, then there's like a magenta color which is basically umm … about three things I think it was, then there is like a burgundy color which means five, then there's claret which means ten, then there's scarlet which means at a minimum of fifteen things" Sirius burst out laughing again.

Everyone was quiet for a minute before James started laughing then Draco and Severus did, then Remus and Moony, Lily and Peter, Ron, and Harry, Hermione and the remaining two professor's didn't laugh at all they just sat there stony faced and silent.

After they had composed themselves Lily went back to her reading.

**Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Rememberall out of his hand.**

**Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. **

"What are you now frogs? Jumping here, jumping there, jumping everywhere!" Draco exclaimed

**They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.**

**"What's going on?"**

**"Malfoy's got my Rememberall, Professor."**

"Tattletale" Draco sneered

**Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Rememberall back on the table.  
"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**

"Why are those two always with you?" asked Harry.

"Because my Father puts them up to it pays their families and everything" Draco muttered

**At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps into the grounds for their first flying lesson.**

**It was a clear, breezy day**

"Ahh a nice day haven't had one of those in a while" Remus muttered

**and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns towards a smooth lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the Forbidden Forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.**

**The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms,**

"That's because they're rubbish!" exclaimed Severus

James and Sirius just raised an eyebrow

"What?" Severus asked defensively "I do like flying" he said "I'm allowed to like flying!" he added at their disbelieving faces.

**Saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.**

**Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, grey hair and yellow eyes like a hawk.**

**"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."**

**Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.**

**"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say, 'Up!'"**

**"UP!" everyone shouted.**

**Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground and Neville's hadn't moved at all.**

**Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Harry; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground**

"I am not surprised, that boy gets into trouble with his feet firmly on the ground. He's useless" Snape muttered

"Hey" Hermione Ron and Harry objected

"It's not his fault" Ron said

"Yeah he grew up with his Gran constantly muttering about how he didn't meet up to his mother's and father's skills and with his uncle constantly trying to scare some accidental magic out of him whilst at the same time almost killing him so he got scared then" Hermione added

"And then he constantly get's ridiculed in classes" Harry paused here sending a glare to Severus "And then everyone picks on him. He also didn't even have his own wand until this year. And the only time he's shown that he is more like his father than he thinks was last year in the DA and that was probably because we get encouraging him, making him want to do better" Harry said

"So basically he needs more encouragement" The tri said together

**Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows, correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.**

"Yeah that was pretty entertaining to watch you looked so mad." Ron chortled

"Watch it Weasel" Draco snarled

**"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet and then come straight back down by leaning forwards slightly. On my whistle - three - two -"**

**But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madame Hooch's lips.**

Draco, James, Sirius and Peter all laughed at the poor boy's predicament. Lily slapped Sirius and Peter while Harry slapped his dad and Snape clamped his hand over Draco's mouth.

**"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet.**

"Wow I'd forgotten he'd got that high" Hermione muttered

**Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and -**

**WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay, face down, on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher and started to drift lazily towards the Forbidden Forest and out of sight.**

"See school brooms can't trust them!" Sirius exclaimed "Sorry professor's" He added when he noticed the sharp glare and amused twinkles he was getting from his Head of House and the Headmaster.

**Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.**

**"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy - it's all right, up you get."  
She turned to the rest of the class.**

**"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear."**

**Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.**

**No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.**

The room glared at Draco who tried to hide behind a small cushion on his chair.

**"Did you see his face, the great lump?"  
The other Slytherins joined in.**

**"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.**

**"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Parvati."**

"Why did Parkinson call Parvati by her first name?" Ron asked

"They will have grown up together but now because of the house rivalry they don't really get on anymore … well Parvati and Pansy don't but I heard Padma still talks to her" Draco answered calmly

**"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."**

**The Rememberall glittered in the sun as he held it up.  
"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly.**

"Twenty points to Gryffindor for standing up for a fellow student" Dumbles exclaimed

"Umm thank you?" The trio muttered

**Everyone stopped talking to watch.  
Malfoy smiled nastily.  
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect - how about - up a tree?"**

"You really were quite petty weren't you?" Lily asked

Draco nodded.

**"Give it here!" Harry yelled,**

"So irrational Mr. Potter" McGonagall scolded

**But Malfoy had leapt on to his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well - hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"**

**Harry grabbed his broom.**

**"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble."**

**Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared,**

"That was the best moment of my life" Harry said "Well at that point of my life anyway"

**air rushed through his hair and his robes whipped out behind him - and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught -**

**This was easy, this was wonderful. He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.**

**He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in mid-air. Malfoy looked stunned.**

"That was quite shocking for me I mean he was muggle raised I didn't know he could fly so well" Draco muttered

"Trust me not as shocking as it was for us!" Hermione and Ron shouted

**"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"**

"Yeah, Harry, you tell him!" Sirius cheered

**Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy trying to sneer, but looking worried.**

"What were you worried about?" Harry asked

"Well, our Professor told us not to move, then I decide to bait you only to find you can fly far better than me, there was no Crabbe or Goyle around so if I fell or something and died my Father would have been so mad! So I was kinda worried" He shrugged

"Oh"

**Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leant forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands and shot towards Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about turn and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.**

**"No Crabbe and Goyle to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.**

"Yes Potter I had realized that" Sneered Draco

"Well you know me I like to point out the obvious" Harry sent a winning smile towards Draco

**The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.**  
**"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back towards the ground.**

**Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leant forward and pointed his broom handle down - next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball - wind whistled in his ears, mingling with the screams of people watching - he stretched out his hand - a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently on to the grass with the Rememberall clutched safely in his fist.**

"Woah" Breathed the Marauders and Lily

"That was excellent couldn't have done better myself" James cheered

"James you daren't do a dive from higher than thirty feet" Sirius pointed out

"In the claim of 'What if I fall off then anyone's going to be able to give their attentions to my gorgeous Lily!' Come on that's been the excuse since third year!" Moony added loving the look of anger and embarrassment on his best friend's face.

Harry, Ron and Draco where quietly laughing in the corner

**"HARRY POTTER!"**

**His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running towards them. He got to his feet trembling.**

"Why are you trembling?" James asked astonished "You just pulled off a fifty foot dive your first time on a broom!"

"Well let's see the shock finally set in and then there's, no offense professor, scary cat lady running towards after she's just screamed your name I think I have the right to be trembling don't you?" Harry answered a sarcastic tone underlying all of his words.

James looked embarrassed …. Again.

**"Never - in all my time at Hogwarts -"  
Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously,**

**"- How dare you - might have broken your neck -"**

**"It wasn't his fault, Professor -"**

"Yeah you just try and stick up for him, stupid Gryffindorks" Draco said

**"Be quiet, Miss Patil -"**

"Hey I didn't know it was Parvati that spoke up first, did the cat have your tongue Ron?" Harry asked

Ron just nodded in Harry's general direction.

**"But Malfoy -"**

"Ah there you are" Harry said fondly

**"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."**

**Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode towards the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it.**

"You think the Ministry and the Wizarding World would actually let me expel you?" Dumbles asked

"I knew I was getting special treatment, look Dumbledore half the stuff I've done this year alone would warrant an expel, hell even half of one of the things, well maybe stalking would get you suspended but I don't know my point is, if Malfoy, or some other Slytherin had let's say broken into a teacher's office to contact an escaped prisoner they would be gone before they could say hocus pocus! And you know it" adding an accusing glare

Dumbles just bowed his head and motioned for Lily to continue reading

**He wanted to say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. He hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursley's say when he turned up on the doorstep?**

"Probably beat the crap out of me as usual" Harry muttered

**Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to him. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant. His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others become wizards while he stumped the grounds, carrying Hagrid's bag. Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.  
"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"**

**Wood? Thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him?**

"I … I am so … so sorry that you made that assumption" McGonagall whispered whilst James and Lily had grown pale "If I … if I had known that you were thinking … Dear Merlin Harry I would have assured you or at least …" she trailed looking at the stony expression on the young mans face

"I don't want pity but you've heard about my relatives' you must know at least something" Harry said

**But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.**

**"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry. "In here."**

**Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom which was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.**

"Yey Peeves!" the Boys shouted

**"Out, Peeves!" she barked.**

"Well aren't you just a big meanie" James said and stuck his tongue out at McGonagall

**Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.**

**"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker."**

**Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.  
"Are you serious, Professor?"**

"No she just thought she'd say it for a laugh" Draco muttered

**"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it.**

**Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"**

**Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to his legs.**

**"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood.**

**"Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."**

"Ooh McGonagall chose you over Charlie now he might take that pretty hard" Ron sniggered

"What why?" several voices asked

"Because he was always McGonagall's favorite seeker if he finds out she likes you more he'll challenge you to a 'Who's the better seeker' tournament or something"

**Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.**

**"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.**

**"Wood's the captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.**

**"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."**

**I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..."**

Severus and Draco smirked.

**Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.**

**"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."  
Then she suddenly smiled.**

**"Your father would have been proud," she said.**

"Your Father would have been proud of everything that you have accomplished Harry, do not doubt that." Dumbledore said calmly.

"Yes that he may be Professor but the expectations in this school live up to the Marauder's and what they accomplished, I feel smothered my father's memory" Harry said

**"He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."**

**"You're joking."  
It was dinner time. Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak-and-kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it.**

**"Seeker?" he said. "But first-years never - you must be the youngest house player in about -"**

**"-a century," said Harry, shovelling pie in his mouth.**

**He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."  
Ron was so amazed, so impressed; he just sat and gaped at Harry.  
"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."**

"Well that didn't work did it?" Ron snorted

**Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall spotted Harry and hurried over.**

**"Well done," said George in a low voice.**

**"Wood told us.**

"Why?" Draco exclaimed

**We're on the team too - Beaters."**

"And there's your reason" Severus grinned

**"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch Cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."**

"He is good!" said Ron, proud of his best friend.

**"Anyway, we've got to go; Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passage way out of the school."**

**"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week.**

**See you."  
Fred and George hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up:**

**Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.  
"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"**

**"You're a lot braver now you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly.**

**There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.**

"You mean they can multitask?" Sirius asked shocked

**"I'd take you on any time on my own," said Malfoy.**

**"Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"**

"Umm no I was muggle raised idiot" Harry muttered

**"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling round.**

**"I'm his second, who's yours?"**

**Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.  
"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room, that's always unlocked."**

**When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.  
"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"**

Draco cheered in success "I knew something boy wonder didn't!"

**"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "but people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."**

"Of course he did, he hated me" Harry said

"What do you mean hated I still hate you" Draco sneered

"You do?" Harry asked a pout forming and tears glistening in his eyes.

The women cooed and Draco's resolve crumbled under the look

"No I don't" he mumbled

"Yey! I win!"

**"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"**

**"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.**

"Some of the wisest words you've spoken so far Ron" Remus said smiling

**"Excuse me."**

**They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.**

**"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.**

"Ron!" Hermione shouted

"You were there you know I said it what's the point in getting annoyed now?" He replied unconcerned

**Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.  
"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying -"**

**"Bet you could," Ron muttered.**

**"- and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be.**

"Wow you were more annoying then than you are now" Draco muttered

**It's really selfish of you."**

"And they care because … ? James asked

"James Potter how dare you encourage our child to make trouble!" Lily shrieked

"I'm sorry"

**"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.**

**"Goodbye," said Ron.**

"That was upsetting" Hermione whimpered and looked at the table. Ron sighed and hugged her and gave her a small kiss on the cheek whilst McGonagall patted her on the back.

"Thanks" she whispered

The rest of the people in the room were staring at Harry wondering why he hadn't moved. Then Lily shrugged and began to read again.

**All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Harry thought, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing).**

**Ron had spent all evening giving him advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them."**

**There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck, breaking another school rule today.**

"What?" asked James aghast

"Why are you reconsidering?" Sirius asked

"Just go and beat the little twerp" Peter added

"Yeah show him that people are better than him" Moony joined in

"Be quiet" Lily snapped

**On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness - this was his big chance to beat Malfoy, face to face. He couldn't miss it.**

**"Half past eleven," Ron muttered at last. "We'd better go."**

**They pulled on their dressing-gowns, picked up their wands and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them: "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."**

"You don't give up do you Hermione?" Remus asked

"Nope that's Hermione for you" Harry and Ron muttered

Hermione looked like she didn't know weather to take that as an insult or a praise.

**A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink dressing-gown and a frown.**

**"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"**

**"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped. "Percy - he's a Prefect, he'd put a stop to this."**

"Perfect Percy" Harry and Ron said and then laughed

**Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.**

**"Come on," he said to Ron.**

**He pushed the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole. Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily.**

**She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.**

**"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the House Cup and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."**

"Ah ha that's what you think, you underestimate the brains of a Gryffindor who would do well in Slytherin" Harry smirked

"Woah where did that smirk come from? That looked identical to a Malfoy's smirk!" Draco exclaimed shocked

"It does doesn't it?"

**"Go away."**

**"All right, but I warned you, you must remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so -"  
But what they were, they didn't find out.**

**Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting.**

The boys save the Headmaster began to snigger

**The Fat Lady had gone on a night-time visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.**

Here they laughed out loud.

**"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.**

**"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go; we're going to be late."  
They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.**

**"I'm coming with you," she said.**

**"You are not."**

**"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you and you can back me up."**

"And what you thought Filch would buy that?"

"At the time I believe that people who had a higher authority over you would listen to the truth and not the lies" Hermione shrugged

**"You've got some nerve -" said Ron loudly.**

**"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."**

**It was a sort of snuffling.**

**"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.  
It wasn't Mrs. Norris.**

"Aww" Draco whined

**It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked awake as they crept nearer.**

**"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours. I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."**

"Typical." Draco murmured.

**"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now; the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."**

**"How's your arm?" said Harry.**

**"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."**

"So what took him so long to get back to the tower that's like…" Remus counted "eight and a quarter hours he's unaccounted for" he finished

"So?" Severus asked "You know what Pomfrey's like she'll have kept him for observation or something"

**"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later -"**

**"Don't leave me" said Neville, scrambling to his feet. "I don't want to stay here alone; The Bloody Baron's been past twice already."**

**Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.**

**"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learnt that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about and used it on you."**

"I thought it was called the bat bogey hex now?" Severus asked

The three Gryffindors who actually attended the school in this time shuddered.

"We are … somewhat familiar with that curse" Hermione said

"Yes extremely familiar" Harry said

"I believe Malfoy is as well" Ron commented

Malfoy shuddered as they realized what they were talking about

"Weaselette" He growled

**Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.**

**They flitted along the corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed towards the trophy room.**

**Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet.**

"We never turned up actually" Draco yawned

"That is low Mr. Malfoy a Slytherin backing out of a challenge … even if our motto is self-preservation we never back down Twenty points from Slytherin" Severus sneered

**The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes crept by.**

**"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.**

"How obvious was it he was going to do that though?" Ron asked rhetorically

He was answered with snorts from everyone but Draco.

**Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak - and it wasn't Malfoy.**

**"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."**

**It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris.**

**Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently towards the door away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.**

**"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."**

"Wow his observation and deduction skills astound me" Ron muttered

**"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified,**

"If we were petrified we wouldn't be able to move" Harry sang

**they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armour.**

"Dibs on Longbottom tripping and grabbing someone knocking over a piece of armor in the meantime" Draco and Sirius said

They just looked at each other "Well you are my uncle I suppose it could be worse" Draco muttered

**They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run -he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armour.  
The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.**

"I knew it" the two Black's (even though one was technically a Malfoy) exclaimed.

**RUN!" Harry yelled and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following -they swung around the doorpost and galloped"**

"Why does the author insist on referring to you as horses'?" Remus asked

"Because she's weird and needs some excitement in her life?" Severus suggested

"**down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead without any idea where they were or where they were going.**

**They ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.**

"Wow you ran pretty far don't even think Jamesie coulda done it" Moony said and ruffled James' hair

"When with Harry Potter you either run like hell when he's running or your likely to get injured or caught" Ron said logically

"True true" Hermione said

**"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead.**

**Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.**

**"I - told - you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest. "I - told - you."**

**"We've got to get back to Gryffindor Tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."**

"Really?" Lily asked

**"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you?**

"No I didn't know at all" Harry muttered rolling his eyes

**He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."**

**Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her that.**

"You just can't admit your wrong can you?" Hermione asked frustrated

"Yes Hermione I can, but I was eleven and was with someone I extremely disliked what did you want me to say or do?" Harry asked "Although it's such a shame you can't admit to your feelings" Harry whispered as an afterthought

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh you know just the way your pining after Ron and won't admit you like him"

"I – I Harry! How could you say that?"

"I open my mouth and …" He didn't get to finish as Lily began reading again.

**"Let's go."  
It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them. It was Peeves.**

"Ooh remember that meeting?" Harry asked snickering

Ron grinned

**He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.  
"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out."**

**Peeves cackled.  
"Wandering around at midnight, ickle firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."**

"Were do those rhymes come from?" Harry asked randomly

**"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."**

**"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittering wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."**

**"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves -**

"Whoopsie, big mistake" The Marauder's laughed

**Th****is was a big mistake.**

"A huge mistake!" Remus added

**"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed. "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"  
Ducking under Peeves they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor, where they slammed into a door - and it was locked.**

**"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door. "We're done for! This is the end!"**

**They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could towards Peeves' shouts.  
"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled.**

"Ooh Granger's got a temper" Severus yelped but maybe because Harry punched his arm.

**She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock and whispered, "**_**Alohomora**_**!"**

**The lock clicked and the door swung open - they piled through it, shut it quickly and pressed their ears against it, listening.**

**"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying.**

**"Quick, tell me."**

**"Say 'please'."**

**"Don't mess me about, Peeves, now where did they go?"**

**"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying sing-song voice.**

**"All right - please."**

**"NOTHING!" Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please!**

The occupants of the room laughed at Filch's expense and at the creativeness of Peeves.

**Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.**

**"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be OK - get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's dressing-gown for the last minute. "What?"**

**Harry turned around - and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he was sure he'd walked into a nightmare -this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.**

**They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor.**

"Why did the door open with a simple Alohomora anyways?" James asked

"Probably because after Dumbledore warned them he didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to actually go down the corridor" Sirius said shrugging

"Did Padfoot just say something smart?" James asked his fellows

"Yes he did … What a breakthrough" Remus shouted

**The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.**

**They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog which filled the whole space between the ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs**

"A Cerberus!" Peter exclaimed

"No we thought it was a flying goldfish" Ron said sarcastically

**It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.**

**Harry groped for the doorknob - between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.**

"Wouldn't anyone?" Severus asked

**They fell backwards - Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared - all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster.**

**They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.**

**"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their dressing-gowns hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty** **faces.**

"Why does she ever even ask I mean she's nice and all but nobody ever tells her where they've been" Peter pointed out

"Maybe it's just a habit by now" Remus offered

**"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling into armchairs.**

**It was a while before any of them said anything.**

**Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.**

**"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."**

**Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again.**

"Three two one" Harry muttered

**"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"**

"Who the hell would look at the floor when there's a three headed dog in front of you?" Severus asked

**"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet; I was too busy with its heads."**

"At least someone has some sense" Severus muttered giving his boyfriend a look of fondness.

**"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."**

"A matter of great importance" Dumbles commented

**She stood up, glaring at them.  
"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled.**

"I think dying is a wee bit more important than getting expelled don't you?" the room asked … nearly as a whole

**Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."**

**Ron stared after her, his mouth open.**

**"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"**

**But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed.**

**The dog was guarding something... What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide - except perhaps Hogwarts.**

"Curious Harry he thinks too much" Ron sang

**It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.**

"And were done" Lily sighed

"Can we have a break?" Draco asked

"Yes, yes of course and then why don't you read professor McGonagall?" Dumbles asked

"Oh all right then" she accepted


	12. This is Hallowe'en

After everyone had had a snack and a toilet break McGonagall asked for the book and cleared her throat motioning for everyone to take a seat around her

**After everyone had had a snack and a toilet break McGonagall asked for the book and cleared her throat motioning for everyone to take a seat around her.**

**CHAPTER TEN**  
**HALLOWE'EN**

**Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were still at Hogwarts next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful.**

Ron and Harry shared a grin.

**Indeed, by next morning Harry and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure and they were quite keen to have another one.**

"Hey none of our other adventures were as tame as this one" Harry pouted

"He's got a point" Ron pointed out

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, turning away from them.

**In the meantime, Harry filled Ron in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.**

**"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.  
"Or both," said Harry.**

"Well it did turn out to be both" Hermione said

"Yeah …" Harry and Ron muttered

**But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.**

**Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again.**

"Longbottom does have a brain after all" Draco exclaimed

"Miracles can happen" Severus spoke up

**Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus.**

"We love you though!" Ron shouted and squeezed Hermione in a hug

**All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived with the post about a week later.**

**As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, every one's attention was caught at once by long thin package carried by six large screech owls. Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor.**

"Yey! My broom!" Harry shouted like a little kid

**They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.  
Harry ripped open the letter first,**

"Who opens a letter before a present?" James asked

"Our son does. At least he had manners" Lily huffed

"Yeah Dad at least I have manners" Harry smirked

**Which was lucky, because it said:**

_**DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.  
It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everyone knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch pitch at seven o'clock for your first training session.  
Professor M. McGonagall**_

"Yey! Nimbus!" Ron shouted and began jumping around the room.

"Ron calm otherwise I will curse you with my free merchandise from the Twins!" Harry yelled triumphantly

"Wait how do you get free merch? I only get a half price discount" Ron wailed "That's so unfair"

"Ah the perks of owning a third of the business" Harry said sitting back in his chair with his hands behind his hand smirking at them all.

"You own a business?" James and Sirius asked

"Well a third of a business but let's not go into that now" Harry diverted attention away and back to the book

**Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read.**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."**

"Do you know how disturbing that is?" Draco asked "What kind of images that puts into you head?"

"Malfoy!" Severus exclaimed "You were eleven years old!"

"So?"

**They left the Hall quickly, wanting to un-wrap the broomstick in private before their first lesson, but halfway across the Entrance Hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle.**

**Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.**

"And to think Malfoy you're the one feeling the package" Ron snorted

Draco went red.

**"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter; first-years aren't allowed them."**

**Ron couldn't resist it.  
"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?"**

"It's the Curse of the Pettiness it returns" Sirius moans

"Hey we were a lot worse than this" James countered

"Glad to see that you do account for your actions Potter" Severus spat at James

Harry laid a comforting hand over Severus' and entwined their fingers together sending him a comforting smile.

**Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."**

**"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back.**

**"I suppose you and your brothers have to save up, twig by twig."**

**Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.**

"Ooh I remember this" Ron snickered

**"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.  
"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.**

"Aww is itty bitty Drakey upset?" Sirius cooed "Does itty bitty Drakey want a lollipop?"

A gasp of pain made them all look around towards Severus and Harry.

They saw Harry with tears flowing down his face and when they heard Severus, Ron and Hermione swear they knew something was wrong.

"Harry, Harry look at me, don't think about her okay, just forget about her she's dead it's over"

"Harry mate listen, he didn't know, he doesn't know what she did, he's from the past we can prevent it Harry you don't have to go through it again"

"Babe she doesn't matter, don't forget we found that book the book that can bring him back he still ha at least a year left next holidays we'll go and get him okay, please stop crying you know I can't stand it when you cry" Severus muttered pulling Harry into his arms.

"What did I do?" Sirius asked

Ron just shook his head.

**"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.**

"Well it was" Severus explained still cradling Harry

"It wasn't like I planned for him to get the best broom on the market" Draco scowled

"Yeah and I still kick his ass" Harry's broken voice was heard from near Severus' chest.

**Harry and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.**

**"Well it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase. "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Rememberall I wouldn't be in the team ..."**

**"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them.**

"Ahh bookworm run away" Sirius and James shouted

"Hey!" shouted Remus, Moony and Hermione

**Hermione was stomping up the stairs looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hands.**

**"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.**

"And a smart remark from Potter"

"Yes he can come out with them from time to time" Ron said

**"Yes, don't stop now;" said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."**

**Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.**

**Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his mind on his lessons that day. It kept wandering up to the dormitory, where his new broomstick was lying under his bed, or straying off to the Quidditch pitch where he'd be learning to play that night.**

"That's my son"

"Whatever Dad"

**He bolted his dinner that evening without even noticing what he was eating and then rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.**

**"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled on to Harry's bedspread.  
Even Harry, who knew nothing about the different brooms thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.**

"I did love that broom" Harry sighed wistfully

"Yeah … Stupid Dementors" Ron growled

**As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry left the castle and set off towards the Quidditch pitch in the dusk. He'd never been inside the stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the pitch so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the pitch were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They reminded Harry of the little plastic sticks Muggle children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.**

**Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Harry mounted his broomstick and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling -**

"Yeah … flying is my escape from things" Harry said as he crawled into a more comfortable position on Severus' lap.

"I know that feeling" Draco whispered

**He swooped in and out of the goalposts and then sped up and down the pitch. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever he wanted at his lightest touch.**

"Wow …" James moaned "I want that broom"

"You wait until you hear about the Firebolt" Harry smirked

"Hey that's not until third year!" Draco exclaimed "You can't boast about things that haven't happened in the books yet"

"Course I can if there about me"

"And my boyfriend is back" Severus grinned

**"Hey, Potter, come down!"**

**Oliver Wood had arrived. He was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. Harry landed next to him.  
"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant ... you really are a natural.**

**I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week."**

"Yeah he said that and then he started getting all frenzied when he realized how good the team was so he wanted to perfect every single one of his thirty five plays" Harry said bitterly

**He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.**

"This is going to be boring" Harry and Draco muttered

"Harry how could you say that?" Ron and James asked thoroughly shocked

"Because I'm not obsessed with the game, maybe if I had grown up differently or if I didn't have to fight for my life at the end of every school year maybe it would be different but its not" Harry said frustrated

**"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play**. **There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."**

**"Three Chasers," Harry repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a football.**

**"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try to get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?"**

**"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"**

**"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.**

"Basketball? Hey I remember that game me and Petunia used to love watching it"

"Really?" Harry asked

"Yeah but then again I guess she would have never told you that right?"

"Right"

**"Never mind," said Harry quickly.**

**"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper - I'm the Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."**

**"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who was determined to remember it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. OK, got that. So what are they for?" he pointed at the three balls left inside the box.**

**"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."  
He handed Harry a small club, a bit like a rounder's bat.**

"What's rounder's?" Draco asked

"Muggle sport usually played by girls" Hermione said

"Oh okay then I don't want to know"

**"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are Bludgers."**

**He showed Harry two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. Harry noticed that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.**

**"Stand back," Wood warned Harry. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.  
At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Harry's face.**

**Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it breaking his nose and sent it zig-zagging away into the air - it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.**

**"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely.**

**"The Bludgers rocket around trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team. The Weasley twins are ours- their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them towards the other team. So - think you've got all that?"**

**"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goalposts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry reeled off.**

**"Very good," said Wood.  
"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he sounded offhand.**

"There was an incident about forty years ago severe head trauma was in a coma for about six months was touch and go nearly the whole time, of course they survived and we were very glad when they did"

"Of course Headmaster couldn't have your reputation tarnished could we?" Harry asked snidely

**"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers -"**

"**- unless they crack my head open."**

**"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers - I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves.**

"Yeah we know what he means there" Ron snickered

**Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.**

**"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. That's why seekers get fouled so much.**

"Well they have to be really when you think about it" Severus said "The seeker's are usually the lightest, the fastest, so if you have the correct beater weight you could knock a seeker off of their broom, or you could block them and get a foul anyone would take ten points over a hundred and fifty"

"Yeah he's right" James said

**A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages - I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep.**

**"Well, that's it - any questions?"  
Harry shook his head. He understood what he had to do all right; it was doing it that was going to be the problem.**

**"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate. "It's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you with a few of these."**

**He pulled out a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket, and a few minutes later, he and Harry were up in the air, Wood throwing the ball as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch.**

**Harry didn't miss a single one, and Wood was delighted.**

"See Harry it's in a Potter's blood to be good at Quidditch" James boasted

**After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.**

"Aww!" whined Ron.

"Ron you sound like a child who just got told he had to go bed stop it" Hermione scolded

**"That Quidditch Cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle.**

**"I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."**

"Ooh I'm telling" Ron sang

"Oh Ronald grow up!" Hermione said frustration evident in her voice

"Look Hermione we are in the middle of a war and I am in school, if I want to act like a child while I still can nothing you can say is going to stop me so Get. Off. Of. My. Case" Ron finished growling

Hermione shut up then and Harry got a sad shame filled look in his eyes that no one noticed.

**Perhaps it was because he was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all his homework, but Harry could hardly believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two months.**

"And you were already getting into trouble." McGonagoll scolded.

"Trouble seems to find me, I mean it remember erm … Third year when I found out about Sirius? That wasn't my fault, that was Peter's as I remember."

"Me?" Peter asked bewildered "What did I do?"

"You … sold out my parent's" Harry said

"Yes so the point was barely two months and you had already wrestled a Troll, found out what Professor Dumbledore was hiding on the third floor and become the youngest Quidditch player in a century"

"What can I say I'm just amazing" Harry smiled

**The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive had ever done.**

"Well it's not surprising really considering what's in the book and what apparently isn't" Moony sighed

**His lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.  
On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he though they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom.**

**Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnegan (which was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye). Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger.**

**It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived.**

**"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual.**

"Why doesn't he just get a smaller desk? … Or does he do it so he can feel tall?" Draco asked

"I don't know" McGonagall shrugged

**"Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."**

"He still tells that story?" Lily asked amused

"What he's never said that in class" Sirius said confused

"Yeah well I have extra lessons with him because I get the work so easily in classes, he gives me extra stuff to do" Lily shrugged

"Oh"

**It was very difficult.**

"Aww you didn't gain my charms expertise" Lily pouted

"And again we have an example of expectations for the Boy-Who-Lived" Harry sighed

**Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skywards just lay on the desktop.**

**Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it - Harry had to put it out with his hat.**

The teenagers all burst out laughing again.

**Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.  
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.**

**"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."**

"God I hated that lesson" Ron grumbled

"Aww was Granger being her normal petty perfect self?" Draco asked

"Yes she was" Harry said simply

**"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.  
Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"  
Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.**

**"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"**

"Yey!" Harry and Draco cheered sarcastically

"We should bow before her intelligence" James and Sirius added

"It is not my fault that I am one of the smartest students to walk through Hogwarts walls" Hermione sniffed and looked at them all smugly

"Hermione Harry's smarter than you" Ron pointed out

"No he is not" Hermione shouted

"Yes Miss. Granger he is" McGonagall said and that was the end of the argument

**Ron was in a very bad temper by the end of the class.**

**"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor. "She's a nightmare, honestly."**

"Well she was" Severus pointed out

"Yeah she was… but then we saved her from the Troll" Ron said

"Troll what Troll?" Lily and James asked staring at their son accusingly

"Heh heh you'll find out" Harry muttered uncomfortably

**Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Harry caught a glimpse of her face - and was startled to see that she was in tears.**

**"I think she heard you."**

**"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable.**

**"She must've noticed she's got no friends."**

**Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon.**

"Ron you really hurt her fragile little heart" Harry muttered

"So at that point she deserved it" Ron replied

"Well yes I agree with that but still we talked about it every night in the dormitories did you have to say it out in the halls as well?"

"You did what?" Hermione screeched

"Talked about you every night in the dormitories it's just not in the book a lot of things don't seem to be in this book" Harry shrugged innocently

"How dare you!" Hermione screamed

"What difference does it make? It was five years ago"

"No one likes being ridiculed and talked about though Potter" Draco said

"Malfoy what are you going on about now?" Ron said

"I'm just saying that no one likes being picked on and talked about how do you think the Slytherin first and second years feel? They get picked on because the whole school turns on them the moment that hat says Slytherin, it's not fair. Most people don't seem to realize that it's that kind of behavior that sends people to Voldemort" Draco finished ignoring the flinches

"How dare you! You slimy gits turn to You-Know-Who because your evil, because you hate muggles and want him to take over the world!" Ron exclaimed

"No we don't some of us are raised to be Death Eaters even if we don't want it, I don't and my father said that I have to get the mark the day I turn seventeen, I don't want it, Voldemort is a fool and a maniac I don't want that life!" Draco shouted

"Draco calm down you can come with me this summer I'll keep you safe from both of them" Harry said

"Thanks Harry" Draco smiled gratefully

"You do know our cover's blown now" Harry muttered looking at the shocked faces around the room

"Ah well hated having to hide my friendship with you, it was getting pretty annoying having to join in with the weekly insult competitions everyone in sixth year has" Draco sighed

"Okay" McGonagall muttered

**On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' toilets and wanted to be left alone.**

**Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds.**

"Meanie" Hermione muttered

"Oh grow up" Ron shot back

**A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles and pumpkins skitter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.**

**Harry was just helping himself to a jacket potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the Hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.**

**Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table and gasped. "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."  
He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.**

"Ahh Quirrell my second ever defeat, was quite spectacular too" Harry smirked

"What's Quirrell got to do with anything?" Peter asked confused

"You'll find out" Ron said cryptically

**There was uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.**

**"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"**

"Didn't you notice something wrong with that?" Lily asked

"Yeah Professor Dumbledore where are the Slytherin Dormitories?" Peter asked

"In the dungeon's" Dumbles replied confused

"And where is the Troll?" Sirius asked patronizingly

"In the dungeon's" was the confused answer from the Headmaster

"Exactly so why are you sending the _students _of _Slytherin_ who's _dormitories _ are in the _dungeon's _where the TROLL IS!?" James ended up shouting

"Oh my I didn't think"

"Obviously, I mean I know you favor the Gryff's being one yourself and all but student's could have died if the Troll had stayed in the dungeon's!" Severus shouted

"Well then it's a good job the prefects thought about that and sent us to the library" Draco soothed the arguments.

**Percy was in his element.**

**"Follow me! Stick together, first-years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first-years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a Prefect!"**

**"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.**

**"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."**

"Oh come on even Peeves isn't that stupid and even if he was he wouldn't let it out near the Slytherin dormitories The Bloody Baron would have his head" Draco laughed

"Well we found out who it was" Ron replied

"Who was it?"

"Voldemort" Harry and Ron said together

**They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.**

**"I've just thought - Hermione."**

**"What about her?"**

**"She doesn't know about the troll."**

**Ron bit his lip.  
"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."**

"See I was just being my noble Gryffindor self" Harry pouted

"So Miss Granger, you lied?" Severus asked

"Umm … well I had just gained friends I didn't want to tattle and lose them" Hermione wailed

"Twenty points from Gryffindor" McGonagall said

"What why?" Hermione asked

"For lying to me"

**Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor and hurried off towards the girls' toilets. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.**

**"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.  
Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.**

"Professor what were you doing on the third floor?" Draco asked

"I have no doubt that these three will find out so it is of no consequence right now"

"Umm Sev?" Harry asked timidly "Some of the things that will be said in the books, you umm you know I don't really think any of that don't you?" Harry had a scared look in his eyes as he pleaded with his boyfriend

"Of course I do, course I do silly lump. But don't expect me not to get angry if some of the things are really insulting or hurtful" he added as he drew Harry into his arms and gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head.

They all heard Harry let out a breath they did not know he was holding.

**"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"  
"Search me."**

"And why would he do that Weasley?" Draco asked

Harry shushed him and they carried on reading the book.

**Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.  
"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, Ron held up his hand.  
"Can you smell something?"**

"It could be Weasel, it does sound like your standing close to each other" Draco cut in snidely

"Draco!" Harry said loudly "It was the Troll pack in it"

**Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.**

"Ewwie" Lily squealed

"That's disgusting" Remus and Moony added

"That's worse than disgusting what are you two on about?" James asked

"Cool they found a Troll" Sirius added then cowered under the looks from James, Lily Remus and Snape combined

**And then they heard it - a low grunting and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed: at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving towards them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight. It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long. The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, and then slouched slowly into the room.**

**"The key's in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."**

"You locked me in?" Hermione asked aghast

"Well we umm … didn't know you were in there?"

"Is that a question or an answer Ronald" Hermione asked coldly

"An answer" Ron said more firmly this time

There was a sound of flesh against flesh as Hermione lost her control and smacked Ron across the face

"What the FUCK!" Ron and Harry screamed

"What was that for?" Ron asked cradling his aching cheek

"For almost getting me killed" Hermione turned to Harry hand raised but she found a wand under her neck before she could even raise her hand properly

"You dare Hermione Granger and you'll find yourself living the rest of your life as a beaver"

"Professor Dumbledore could reverse it" Hermione said smugly and began to bring her hand down towards Harry's cheek

"Oh no Hermione because you see I am stronger than Dumbledore and I am more powerful than Dumbles over there if I want you to spend the rest of your life as a beaver trust me you will" Harry snarled and pushed Hermione away, not hard as he would never caused harm to a girl but enough to send her stumbling a couple of steps.

**"Good idea," said Ron nervously.**

"Yes it was, wasn't it Ron?" Harry asked grinning

**They edged towards the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door and lock it.  
"Yes!"**

**Flushed with their victory they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop -**

**A high, petrified scream - and it was coming from the chamber they'd just locked up.  
"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.  
"It's the girls' toilets!" Harry gasped.  
"Hermione!" they said together.**

**It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have?**

"See we were being brave and courageous" Ron said trying to soothe his Head of House out of her mood.

"We didn't want her to die, people would have been upset" Harry added

"We really had no choice" Ron continued

"We had to make up for our mistake of locking Hermione in there in the first place" Harry added

"So really we didn't do anything at all" Ron said innocently looking at his Professor and she smiled

**Wheeling around they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic -Harry pulled the door open - they ran inside.**

**Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she were about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.**

**"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron and seizing a tap he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.**

"Yes well if you confuse it your just going to make it come to you aren't you" Severus asked

"Well we weren't thinking we just wanted to distract his attention from Hermione" Ron admitted

"Ten points to Gryffindor" McGonagall smiled

**The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.**

"Ok that scared me I will admit" Harry muttered

**"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it.**

**The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout towards Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.**

**"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her towards the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.**

"Granger? Your friend is telling you to run whilst also trying to fight against a fully grown mountain troll… why didn't you listen?!"

"I was terrified!" Hermione said in defense

**The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started towards Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.**

**Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid:**

"Ahh the main traits of a Gryffindor" Severus jumped in

"Hey you know I'm a Slytherin at heart I just have a Gryffindor brain" Harry complained "Stop being mean!" He pouted

"Ahh but you know I'm right" Sev smirked "And you can't stand it" He stuck his tongue out at Harry.

Harry huffed and turned away, but with a small smile on his face

**He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped - it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.**

"Ew … Ew Ew Ew … Please tell me you got it sanitized" Lily begged

"Yeah I got a sixth year to do that night"

**Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off of catch him a terrible blow with the club.**

**Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand - not knowing what he was going to do, he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

"Well Weasley why don't you just doom your friend's to death you can't do that spell remember!" Draco sneered

"Hey just because he couldn't do the spell in class doesn't mean he can't do it now!" Remus protested

"Yeah but what's he going to levitate the Troll?"

**The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, on to its owner's head.**

"That's what he can levitate" James snickered

**The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.  
Harry got to his feet.**

**He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.  
It was Hermione who spoke first.**

"And Hermione speaks" Peter spoke up

"She's fixed" Sirius cheered

**"Is it - dead?"**

**"I don't think so," said Harry. "I think it's just been knocked out."  
He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy grey glue.**

"**Urgh - troll bogies."**

"They were really disgusting" Harry shuddered remembering.

**He wiped it on the troll's trousers.  
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape,**

"How did you get there so fast?" Draco asked astonished

"Secret passages Mr. Malfoy" Severus smirked

"You mean the one behind the door next to where Fluffy was that takes you down to the dungeon's?" Harry inquired

"Dammit you brat how did you know that?" Sev asked shocked

"I'm special and I own the Marauder's Map" Harry cheered

"Yey!" James cheered

"The Map!" Peter shouted

"We lost it two month ago!" Sirius exclaimed

"You mean you lost it two month ago!" Moony said

"To Filch no less" Remus added

"The twins stole it off of Filch in their first year and gave it to me in my third year"

"Hey is this the thing that insulted me that time I found you in the corridor?" Severus asked

"Umm yes" Harry mumbled

**With Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.**

**Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's mind.  
"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice.**

**Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"  
Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look.**

"You erm… you weren't using Legillimency or anything were you?"

"No I might seem it but you know I'm not completely heartless" Severus said "I would never do that to a defenseless student unless I'm teaching them Occlumency"

**Harry looked at the floor. He wished Ron would put his wand down.  
Then a small voice came out of the shadows.  
"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."**

**"Miss Granger!"**

**Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.  
"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."**

**Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?**

"I know it was a shocking experience" Harry said

"And not the last time it ever happened" Ron smiles remembering fifth year.

**"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they had arrived."**

**Harry and Ron tried to look as if this story wasn't new to them.**

**"Well - in that case ..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them. "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"**

**Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble.**

**It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.**

"Can you imagine yourself handing out sweets?" Harry asked Severus amused

"I hate sweets" He grumbled back

"Liar! I've seen you eating sweets from Honeydukes" Harry said

"Harry be quiet"

"I'd check them for poison" Ron piped up helpfully or maybe not so helpfully as he was faced with identical glares from Harry and his Professor

**Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you are not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor Tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."  
Hermione left.**

**Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.**

**"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first-years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."**

"I love my luck has kept me alive all these years" Harry sighed

"Hey you had help on most of it" Ron pointed out

"Well yeah but not all of it!" Harry protested

"Well that's true"

"I rest my case" Harry answered smugly

**They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.**

**"We should have got more than ten points," Ron grumbled**

"Yeah," said Ron.

**"Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."**

**"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."**

**"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him.**

"Still you saved me and for that I thank you" Hermione muttered embarrassed

**They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
"Pig snout," they said and entered.**

**The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them.**

**There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks", and hurried off to get plates. But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.**

"And that is how everything started … well our friendships at least" Harry shrugged

"And that is the end of the chapter" McGonagall said "Who's next"

"I will" James offered "Didn't get a proper chance last time"


	13. Snapes Trying To Steal It !

"Settle down now" James said

"Settle down now" James said

**CHAPTER ELEVEN  
QUIDDITCH**

"Whoo! My son's first Quidditch match"

**As they entered** **November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows, defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch pitch, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit-fur gloves and enormous beaver skin boots.**

**The Quidditch season had begun.**

"Quidditch, Quidditch" James Ron and Sirius chanted

**On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin.**

"Who makes up these timetables?" Draco asked

"Well myself and the Headmaster make the actual lesson timetables and the Head boy and girl create the Quidditch timetables"

"Oh okay … Sir why do you always stick Slytherin and Gryffindor together?" Draco asked

"House Unity" Was the simple answer

**If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the House Championship.**

**Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret.**

**But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know which was worse - people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him, holding a mattress.**

"Yeah but you had to get more positive comments than negative ones right?" Sirius asked

"Not really" Harry shrugged

**It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have got through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also leant him Quidditch through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read. Harry learnt that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accident seemed to happen to them;**

"I wonder why?" Sirius muttered sarcastically

**That although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert**. **Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll and she was much nicer for it.**

"Yeah so you should have" Harry cheered "But you were still a spoilsport on some occasions"

"I was not!" Hermione exclaimed

"Yeah you were, remember the time we tried to steal that picture from the dungeon's but you were all 'Noo it's school property you'll get us into soo much trouble'?" Harry mimicked Hermione's high voice

"Oh yeah" she mumbled

"He was my ancestor I had a right to that portrait"

"Sorry"

**The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire which could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping.**

"What happened?" Sirius sneered "Get bit by the giant dog?" He sniped

"Shut it Sirius" Moony said

"Thanks" Harry whispered

**Harry, Ron and Hermione moved closer to block the fire from view, they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. **

"Well, there are worse rules in the rule book" Ron shrugged "Like no eating in the corridors…that rule gets broken everyday"

"What?" Peter asked aghast "That's actually a rule?"

"Yeah and so is no sex in broom closet's!" Harry added

**Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.**

**"What's that you've got there, Potter?"**

**It was Quidditch through the Ages. Harry showed him.**

**"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."**

"Five points to Gryffindor" Severus muttered

**"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"  
"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.**

**The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy (How will you learn?), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway.**

"Ahh my sweet sweet Slytherin side how I love you" Harry cheered

The Gryffindors minus Remus looked at him like he was crazy.

**Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch through the Ages back, to take his mind off his nerves about tomorrow.**

**Why should he be afraid of Snape?**

"Ahh I can give you a few reasons Harry" Severus purred

Harry gulped.

The rest of the room snickered.

**Getting up, he told Ron and Hermione he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.**

**"Rather you than me," they said together, but Harry had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.**

**He made his way down to the staff room and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. Nothing.**

"So … did you ignore me or did you just not hear me"

"I didn't hear I was in a lot of pain" Severus shuddered

**Perhaps Snape had left the book in there?**

**It was worth a try. He pushed the door ajar and peered inside - and a horrible scene met his eyes.  
Snape and Filch were inside, alone.**

"Ohh the Pain!" James shrieked

"The images" Sirius wailed

"Oh shut up" Severus muttered embarrassed.

**Snape was holding his robes above his knees.**

"That's also rather, too much information" Moony said but cowered when the combined glares of Draco, Severus and Harry were set on him.

**One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.**

**"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"**

"Your not, you were meant to stay away" Dumbles sounded upset

"You really think that someone wouldn't go after it?" Draco asked shocked

"Well with the threat of a painful death I didn't think there would be many wanting it" Dumbles said quickly

**Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but -  
"POTTER!"**

**Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped.**

**"I just wondered if I could have my book back."**

**"GET OUT! OUT!"**

"Gryffindor courage" Draco muttered

"Hey you leave him alone" Ron shouted his face growing red

"Slytherin cowardness" Harry rebuked.

"Pansy"

"Ruler"

"Potter"

"Malfoy"

"Half-blood"

"Servant of a Half-blood" Harry finished smirking at Draco.

"Bitch"

**Harry left, before Snape could take anymore points from Gryffindor. He sprinted back upstairs.  
"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?"**

**In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.  
"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding!**

"Why would I want the stone? I had a job I didn't want untold riches" Severus pouted

"We know that now" Hermione soothed

"But we were first years back then, first years that were hated by their Potions teacher"

"And you were bitten by the dog what were we supposed to think?" Harry asked placing an arm around his boyfriend

"Well you didn't have to come to that conclusion straight away"

**And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to create a diversion!"  
Hermione's eyes were wide.  
"No - he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."**

"Well we know that, there were other forces at work you know" Hermione said logically

"Yeah like my dear old nemesis Moldy-Shorts. Haha how awesome is that I'm sixteen and I have an arch nemesis. Yey!"

Everyone looked at Harry weirdly

"Has he been given his shot today?" Hermione asked conversationally

"Umm crap no" Ron muttered

"Wait he actually has to get a shot?" Hermione asked

"Yeah he has to go to the hospital wing everyday since the Second Task to have a needle shoved in him for something he won't tell me about" Ron answered

Severus paled and only Lily noticed she decided to let it lie for now.

**"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron.**

**"I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape.**

"Why me?"

"Because your special" Draco muttered

**But what's he after? What's the dog guarding?"**

**Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Neville was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind - he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a few hours - but the expression on Snape's face when Harry had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.**

**The next morning dawned very bright and cold.**

"Nice Quidditch conditions" James muttered "Means you can get a nice good kick off"

**The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.**

**"You've got to eat some breakfast."**

**"I don't want anything."**

**"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.**

**"I'm not hungry."**

**Harry felt terrible. In a few hours' time he'd be walking on to the Quidditch pitch.  
"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get nobbled by the other team."**

"Tact, you will never see it in a Gryffindor" Severus muttered

**"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.**

**By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.**

**Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined.**

"Scabbers!! Ron snarled

"Stupid bloody rat" Harry sneered

"Coward" Hermione added

Harry looked meaningfully at Peter "I swear Pettigrew if you ever do what you did on Halloween nineteen eighty one this time round I will not hesitate to kill you"

Peter just nodded "He already knows about it's existence and has already asked about that" He said helpfully

"What?!" Severus asked shocked "How can he I didn't tell him until nineteen eighty!"

Then Severus gulped and looked at Harry carefully

"You … it was you who told him??" Harry screamed

"I had to … I wasn't any good at Legillimency then he would have found out anyway it was before I turned spy" Severus said pathetically

Harry sneered and turned to Peter "How did he find out?"

"The time professor Dumbles over there heard it wasn't the first time she had made that particular prophecy" Peter explained

"Oh" and then "Carry on Dad"

James looked confused but did as was asked

**It said Potter for President and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colours.**

**Meanwhile, in the changing rooms, Harry and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).**

**Wood cleared his throat for silence.**

**"OK, men," he said.  
"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.  
"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."  
"The big one," said Fred Weasley.  
"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.  
"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry. "We were in the team last year."**

"He kept that up during my second and third years as well" Harry complained "I had to plug my ears to keep from falling asleep"

"That's just weird" Ron muttered

"Yeah you'd think he'd at least come up with a new one sometimes" Draco added

"Boring" James, Sirius and Moony said

**"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."**

**He glared at them as if to say, "Or else."**

**"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."**

James looked excited. So did Sirius.

"Calm down you two it's only a game" Lily said

"Only a game? Only a game?" Sirius shouted

"I'll have you know that this is our son's first Quidditch game every –" The sentence was cut off and people noticed that Moony and Remus had their wands out and had silenced the two Gryffindors

"I'll take that thank you" Moony said plucking the book out of James' hands.

James looked sulky.

**Harry followed Fred and George out of the changing room and, hoping his knees weren't going to give way, walked on to the pitch to loud cheers. Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the pitch, waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.  
"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin captain, Marcus Flint, a fifth-year. Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him.**

"He does" Severus muttered shuddering

"His father liked to donate … love juices" Draco whispered shuddering

"He would then go to a different race of animal or creature or whatever and would then implant the love juice into a female of that kind and see which one became pregnant" Severus continued

"Unfortunately…" Draco was unable to continue

"The troll became pregnant?" Lily asked looking slightly green

"Yes so our lucky Mr Flint here smells as bad as a troll, and looks slightly like one" Draco finished

"Wait he _smells_ like a troll?" Ron asked

"If that's true then why can't we smell him?" Hermione asked

"Masking Charms" Harry said finally "Doesn't he also have his own room in the dungeons?"

"Yeah and you can still smell him when he takes off the charms" Severus muttered disgusted

**Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.**

**"Mount your brooms, please."  
Harry clambered on to his Nimbus Two Thousand.**

**Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.  
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor -**

**what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -  
" JORDAN!"  
"Sorry, Professor."**

"Professor why don't you let him just say what he wants to?" Harry asked innocently

"Because Mr Potter there are younger children in our school who know nothing about hormones and don't need to listen to drabble from an older infatuated student" McGonagall shook with suppressed laughter at her choice of words

The rest of the room just said "Oh" and Moony began reading again.

**The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.**

**"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, Slytherin have taken the Quaffle,**

"Boo!" Shouted Ron and Peter

"Hey" Lily shouted "that was both of my ears that you just shouted down!"

"Sorry Lils" Peter muttered

"Yeah sorry Mrs Potter" Ron muttered abashed

**Slytherin captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc - no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and Gryffindor take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH -**

"Bludger." Harry explained with a pained look on his face.

"Nasty buggers."

**That must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger -**

**Quaffle taken by Slytherin - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goalposts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she'd really flying -**

**Dodges a speeding Bludger - the goalposts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"**

"Whoop whoop" Ron cheered "Gryffindor"

Remus looked at James and Sirius "If I take the silencing charm off do you promise not to make a racket?" He asked like he was talking to a five year old

They both nodded sullenly

"Finite Incantatum"

James and Sirius high fived each other

**Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.**

**"Budge up there, move along."  
"Hagrid!"**

**Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid space to join them.  
"Bin' watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars round his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sigh of the Snitch yet, eh?"**

**"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."**

**"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skywards at the speck that was Harry.**

**Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan.**

**"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."**

"Good game plan" James agreed

"Yeah but he was still saying that I could be hurt. You don't want me to be hurt do you Daddy?" Harry whimpered pathetically

"No no of course not son" James was quick to sympathize with his son "I would never want that" He finished hugging Harry tightly

"That's good I suppose" Harry muttered wiping away his fake tears smiling

**When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let out his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch.**

**Once he caught sight of a flash of gold but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys wrist watches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannon ball than anything, but Harry dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.  
­**

**"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously towards Marcus Flint.**

"Wait is his skin as thick as a Troll's?" Hermione asked quickly

"Yes" Severus answered

**"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying. "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys and Chaser Bell and speeds towards the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"**

**A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle; too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.**

**Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downwards after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled towards the Snitch - all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in mid-air to watch.**

"Why would you do that you would carry on scoring at the least" James exclaimed

"Yeah but what's the point if the commentator isn't watching? The goals wouldn't be counted" Lily said logically

"You could still at least try" James muttered

"But there would be no point" Lily repeated

"I know it was just a suggestion" James said quickly.

"Haha Daddy dearest is Whipped" He made a whipping motion in the air laughing

"Hey you little twerp!" James shouted and pounced on his son

"Little I'm taller than you!" Harry cheered dancing out of his father's way and beginning a small game of catch around the room.

"Now now children" Severus said grabbing Harry around the waist and dragging him onto his lap.

Harry stiffened and Severus sighed dejectedly and bent to whisper something in Harry's ear. Harry began to slowly relax and at the end of the whispered conversation had a huge smile on his face and he kissed Severus enthusiastically.

"You've never said that to me before" Harry muttered in between kisses

"Ah but now you know I mean it" Severus smirked and kissed Harry one last time before sitting back Harry clasped tightly in his arms and motioned for Moony to continue reading the book.

**Harry was faster than Higgs - he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead - he put on an extra spurt of speed -**

**WHAM!**

**A roar of rage from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose and Harry's broom span off course, Harry holding on for dear life.**

**"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.**

**Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goalposts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.  
Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"**

"What's a red card?" Draco asked

"Umm … it's used in football if a player had done something serious like what Flint had just done they would get a red card and wouldn't be allowed to play for the rest of the game" Lily said

"Oh"

**"This isn't football, Dean," Ron reminded him. "You can't send people off in Quidditch and what's a red card?"**

**But Hagrid was on Dean's side.  
"They ought to change the rules, Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."**

**Lee Jordan was finding it hard not to take sides.**

"Well he is a Gryff" Ron muttered

"Maybe you should change commentator's depending on the house teams that are playing" Draco suggested

"A very good idea Mr Malfoy I shall look into it" Dumbles said

**"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating -"**

"**Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.**

**"I mean, after that open and revolting foul -"**

"**Jordan, I'm warning you -"**

**"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."**

**It was as Harry dodged another Bludger which went spinning dangerously past his head that it happened.**

**His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, he though he was going to fall.**

"Yey! Fire!" Harry shouted

"Fire?" Severus asked suspiciously

"Yes fire it's bright and it burns like this look" A floating piece of fire erupted from Harry' hand and he flung it a the wall leaving a large scorch mark

"You're an elemental?" Dumbles asked

"Yes what's it to you" Harry asked snidely then he got distracted as his face contorted with pain "I need that shot Ron" Harry moaned "It hurts so much"

"Crap crap crap umm … Accio Harry Potters shot" Ron yelled in a desperate attempt to help his friend

"Yes" Harry yelped as he jumped up when he caught sight of his medicine and an adjoining door joined onto the room.

"Come on Ron help me" Harry said as he jumped up and ran through the door. "Carry on reading"

Lily noticed Severus' pale face again and decided to ask what it was about

"Sev what's wrong with him?" She asked

"He's … ill" he finally said

"How ill?" James asked suspiciously

"Not so badly anymore but still a lot" Severus finally said

"So back to the book" Moony said

**He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt anything like that.  
It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off.**

"You mean he wasn't doing that on purpose?" Draco asked

"No that was accidental Death Defying stunt two" Hermione said sarcastically

"Two?" Sirius asked confused

"Yeah the other time was when he ended up on the primary school roof"

**But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn back towards the Gryffindor goalposts; he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time out - and then he realized that the broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air and every now and then making violent swishing movements which almost unseated him. Lee was still commentating.  
"Slytherin in possession -**

**Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose -**

"Didn't we all" Draco moaned "He smells worse when he's bleeding or in a bad mood I don't know how he does it, we had hoped he would have to spend the night in the hospital wing" He said looking at the questioning looks on the rest of the rooms faces.

"Ew"

**Only joking, Professor -**

"He does know how to tell a convincing lie" McGonagall muttered "Perks of being friends with the twins I would presume"

**Slytherin score - oh no..."**

**The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.**

**"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled.**

"I wasn't doing anything" Harry exclaimed coming out of the room with a relieved look on his face "Why does everyone think I always do it?" a pout forming on his face missing the worried looks from the occupants of the room.

But as he looked around he noticed and then looked accusingly at Severus.

"You told them didn't you?"

"I told them you were ill not what was wrong" Severus defended himself

"Oh okay" Harry said and skipped to jump down on Severus' lap again.

**He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom ... but he can't have ..."**

**Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.**

"That was pretty scary" Harry muttered

"Harry Potter scared?" Draco exclaimed "That's rich!"

"Hey I was eleven!" Harry muttered "What did you expect me to suddenly sprout wings?" Harry snickered

**"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.**

**"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."**

**At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.**

**"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, grey-faced.  
"I knew it," Hermione gasped. "Snape - look."**

"Hey! Why are you blaming me?!" Severus asked hurt

"Because we were already suspicious of you and Hermione caught you before she caught Quirrell" Harry soothed running his hand through his boyfriends hair.

**Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering non-stop under his breath.**

"Yes I guess that did look suspicious" Severus admitted

**"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," said Hermione.  
"What should we do?"**  
**"Leave it to me."**

**Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned his binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd were on their feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely on to on of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell.**

"At least someone was there" Harry muttered

"Yeah that was good I suppose" Ron admitted

"Good!" Lily shrieked "My baby could have been really hurt if your brother didn't catch him"

"I'm sorry Mrs Potter" Ron wailed

"Yes you should be"

**Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.**

"Cheater" James exclaimed

"I thought you were all for scoring whilst other people are distracted" Lily said

"He meant our side!" Sirius jumped in

"So what just because they are Slytherins it's not allowed to happen?" Lily asked

"Exactly" James looked joyful that Lily understood

"And if I had ended up in that house?" A small quiet voice asked "Would you hate me as much as you have always hated slimy back-stabbing Slytherins?"

"No no no" Sirius hurried to placate his godson "With you it would have been different, with you we would have made an exception"

"And when I was friends with a load of them, like I'm friends with a load of them now?" Harry continued "What then you would forbid them from coming to see me because of their house? Because of _my _house?" Harry asked

They were all speechless, and Moony decided t break the silence by returning to the book.

**"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.**

**Hermione fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.**

"And we want to know she knocked Quirrell down because … ?" Peter asked

"You'll find out" Ron muttered

**Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand and whispered a few, well chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand on to the hem of Snape's robes.**

"Detention Miss Granger" Severus said calmly

"It was five years ago!" Hermione protested

"Exactly which is why I am not taking points, the rule 'You cannot attack a Professor' include you cannot light them on FIRE!" he shouted the last word and the room jumped.

"He's right Miss Granger" McGonagall muttered

Hermione looked shocked that her head of house had taken the Evil Git's side and she sat back sulking and glaring at everyone.

**It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket she scrambled back along the row - Snape would never know what had happened.**

"Oh but I do now!" He said triumphantly

"Sorry Professor" Hermione mumbled

**It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom.**

**"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.**

**Harry was speeding towards the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the pitch on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.**

**"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.**

**"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the result - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.**

James, Sirius, Peter, Ron and surprisingly McGonagall all cheered.

**Harry heard none of this, though. He was being made a strong cup of tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.**

**"It was Snape," Ron was explaining. "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."**

"It wasn't-"

"WE KNOW!" Harry, Ron and Hermione shouted.

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"**

**Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other, wondering what to tell him. Harry decided on the truth.  
"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that ­**

**three-headed dog at Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."**

**Hagrid dropped the teapot.**

**"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.**

"Fluffy … of all the things to name a giant three headed dog, he names it Fluffy?" Peter demanded

"Yep" The Trio agreed

"Hey ever noticed all his vicious animals have cute names like Fluffy and Norbert and the innocent ones like Fang, have mean names?" Ron asked

"Yeah" Hermione chortled

"Hagrid is unbelieveable" James muttered

"Completely doo-lally" Sirius agreed

"Hey" Moony protested "Leave him alone!"

"Yeah" Peter agreed

**"Fluffy?"**

**"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the -"**

**"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"Now, don't ask me any more," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."**

**"But Snape's trying to steal it."**

"Don't even try it Severus Snape" Harry warned

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."**

**"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.**

**The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.  
"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"**

**"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student!**

**Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog,**

"Yeah because that's something to tell three eleven year olds 'That's top secret now you forget that dog and what it's guarding' seriously how stupid" Draco snorted sarcastically

**an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel -"**

"Remember the look on his face when he realized what he'd said?" Ron asked laughing at the memory

"He's always letting things slip poor fella" Sirius said

**Aha!" said Harry. "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"  
Hagrid looked furious with himself.**

"Well abrupt or what?" Moony asked

"Who's reading next?" Severus asked

"What's the chapter title?" Harry butted in quickly

"The Mirror of Erised" Moony answered

"Remus will you read it, but can we get some sleep please I'm really tired" Harry yawned

"Yeah we'll get some sleep first" Severus muttered

**So okay it's a week late and I'm sorry please don't kill me I value life **

**Anyways there you go and I think I shall start the next chapter now **

**Hannah .x**


	14. Nothing More Or Less

Morning came quickly for the inhabitants of The Room and as Remus picked up the book after finishing breakfast everyone quickly settled down.

**CHAPTER TWELVE  
THE MIRROR OF ERISED  
**  
"Hey that looks like desire spelt backward" Remus muttered so low only Moony and Harry (who was sat next to him) heard

**Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasleys were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban.  
**  
Everyone bust out laughing. "We should do that to Snape!' said Sirius.

Lily nodded. "It would get back at him for the way he's treating my son and for maybe being the one jinxing Harry's broom."

"Leave him alone" Harry growled

**The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver post had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. **

**No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the great Hall had roaring fires, the draughty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worsr of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.  
**  
"The classes are bad enough already," muttered James angrily.

"Well it's not my fault" Severus whined "Potions are so annoying sometimes I hate being down in the dungeons everyday" he pouted

The Marauders (Past and Present) stared.

**"I do feel sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."**

James glared at the book. "I suppose he's referring to Harry, the git!"

"Hey you can leave Dray alone too" Harry added

**He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them.  
**  
"Wow" Lily muttered "Your father would have jumped him who taught you such self control?" she inquired

"Ah umm growing up with Aunt Petunia taught me many things. Self control was needed if I didn't want the punishment to get worse" Harry mumbled

**Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that Slytherin had lost, he tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next.  
**  
"A wide mouthed tree frog?" Harry laughed "Dray what the hell"

"I was eleven leave me alone" Draco retorted

"When you were spouting worse when you were twelve?" Harry asked

"That is not the point" Draco sneered

**Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick.  
**  
"Ha ha!" laughed Sirius, a nasty smile on his face.

**So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family.  
**  
"Oh yeah because the Malfoy's are just soo much better" Sirius said sarcastically

"Will you just be quiet about my family your cousin marries my father you know" Draco muttered

**It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet drive for Christmas.  
**  
"Who cares?" said James. "He'll have a great Christmas at Hogwarts!'

**Professor McGonagall had come round the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. **

**He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.  
**  
"Ahh Ron my bestest friend" Harry yelled and pounced on Ron.

**When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead.  
**  
"Hagrid my firstest friend yey Hagrid!" Harry again cheered

Severus backed away from Harry and rolled his eyes he looked at everyone else and mouthed 'Sugar High'

**Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.  
"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.  
**  
"Oh what nice manners Ron" Lily praised

"Thanks

**"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron." **

**"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose - that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."  
**  
"Was this planned?" Ron asked

"Oh yeah pretty much" Draco commented offhandedly.

**Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.  
**  
"See" Draco added

**"WEASLEY!" **

**Ron let go of Malfoy's robes. **

**"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family." **

**"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."  
**  
"Five points to Gryffindor" Severus said and then winced as the room stared at him.

**Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. **

**"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him -" **

**"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."**

"Well, there's not much to hate really once you get past the insults and the ice façade" Harry muttered.

**"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat." **

**So Harry, Ron and Hermione followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.  
**  
"How come the other teachers don't help?" Lily asked

"Well there's a kind of rota two different teachers's every year" McGonagall

"Yeah Sevvie over here decorated this year's hall with McGonagall" Harry snickered

"Really?" Hermione "That was you two?"

"Yes Severus does know some quite nice charms" McGonagall smiled

"McGonagall's showing emotion quick picture moment!" James yelled  
**  
"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put it in the far corner, would you?" **

**The Hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls and no fewer than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.  
**  
"I love the Great Hall at Christmastime," said Lily dreamily. "It always looks so lovely."

**"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked. **

**"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me - Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."**

"Why are you going there on your last day?" Dumbles asked

"Looking up Flamel" Harry commented

"Ah"

**"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming from out of his wand and trailing them over the branches of the new tree. **

**"The library?" said Hagrid following them out of the Hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?" **

**"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is." **

**"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."  
**  
"We were only trying to find out who he is" Harry said innocently

**"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione. **

**"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere." **

**"I'm sayin' nothin'," said Hagrid flatly.**

"Meanie" Harry pouted

**"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.  
They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. **

"Oh I dunno maybe created the Philosopher's Stone?" Ron snorted

"Yeah like we knew" Hermione muttered

**He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.  
**

"Yeah we know the Library is huge" Severus muttered

"Hey that Library has saved my life and my grades thank you very much" Harry replied haunghtingly

"Sorry Harry"

**Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. He had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. **

"He might, but he could also be in the main library, over in the A subjects" Remus hinted

"A is for Alchemist" Harry snickered

**Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books and he knew he'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts and only** **read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
**  
"Cool," said James and Sirius together.

"Yeah suppose" Ron acknowledged

"Read them all by third year" Draco said

"Read them all by Easter second year" Harry muttered hoping no body heard him.

But as always someone had too

"You what?" Severus shrieked "How? Nobody would let a second year into the restricted section!" Severus ranted

"Ah that may be. But when you're a Metamorphagus, the possibilities are endless" Harry snickered at the dumbfounded look on Dumbles face.

"How?" He asked

"I came into my inheritance extremely early, I'm also firm acquaintances with Fudge that whole trail fifth year was a set up he knew there were Dementors there"

**"What are you looking for, boy?" **

James winced. He knew that tone of voice.

**"Nothing," Harry said. **

**Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him.  
"You'd better get out, then. Go on - out!" **

**Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. He, Ron and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.  
**  
**Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the other two had found anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for a fortnight, after all, but as they only had moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.  
**  
"Like let's say night-time?" Ron asked

"Yeah…" Sirius muttered

"Hey I wonder what happens to my invisibility cloak" James spouted

"You have an invisibility cloak?" Draco demanded

"Sure how do you think I got out of the tower?" Harry asked raising his eyebrows in a 'Duh' manner.

**Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch. **

**"You will keep looking while I'm away, wont you?" said Hermione. "And you'll send me an owl if you find anything." **

**"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them." **

**"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.  
**  
"Dentists?" Severus asked

"There people who work on your teeth" Hermione explained

"Ah"

**Once the holidays had started, Ron and Harry were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spare on a toasting fork - bread, crumpets, marshmallows - and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work.  
**  
"Hehe do you remember some of those?" Ron asked

"Yeah they were quite petty" Harry laughed

**Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess. **

**This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in a battle. Ron's set was very old and battered.**

"Isn't nearly everything of mine?" Ron muttered ducking his head in embarrassment

**Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family - in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.  
**  
"Ron'll beat him, then," said James. "Though bad Harry hasn't inherited my chess skills. I'm not too bad at it."

**Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had leant him and they didn't trust him at all. **

**He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice to him, which was confusing: "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him, we can afford to lose him." **  
**  
On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all.  
**  
"How can you not expect presents on Christmas?" James asked outraged

"Freaks don't get presents" Harry stated

Lily looked outraged. "Just wait until I get my hands on my sister.

**When he woke early next morning, however, the first thing he saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed. **

"See" Severus soothed "Your not a freak you get presents just like everyone else"

"I am a freak" Harry muttered

Severus slapped him. "No you are not"

"Yes I am"

"Harry say that again and I will punch you" Severus threatened

Harry shut up.

**"Happy Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his dressing-gown. **

**"You too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!" **

**"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's.  
**  
There were a few chuckles at this.

**Harry picked up the top parcel.  
**  
Everyone looked excited.

**It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was **_**To Harry, from Hagrid**_**.  
**  
"Yey Hagrid! That present saved our lives as well" Harry cheered.

**Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Harry blew it - it sounded a bit like an owl.  
**  
"Nice," said Sirius, smiling.

**A second, very small parcel contained a note.  
**_**We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. **_**  
**  
"I forgot they sent me something that Christmas." Harry muttered

**Sellotaped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.  
"That's friendly," said Harry.  
**  
"Friendly?" Severus muttered "Harry I've given you more than that"

"So, you're my boyfriend there Family!"

"Some family, Harry my father was kinder than they are to you" Severus said then winced as he heard Lily gasp

"No, no no no no no" Lily moaned "They can't be that bad, please tell me their not that bad please" Lily begged

"She knows about your dad?" Harry asked shocked

"Well she was my best friend" Severus muttered

"Well thanks now she knows the extent of the damage" Harry snarled and curled in on himself.

**Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence. **

**"Weird!" he said. "What a shape! This is money?" **

**"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was.**

"Hey did you show it to your Dad?" Harry asked

"Yeah he went crazy over it, started begging me to get you to get him some more"

Everyone laughed

**"Hagrid and my aunt and uncle - so who sent these?" **

**"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, going a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mum. I told her you didn't expect any presents and - oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you a Weasley jumper."  
**  
"Oh that's really nice, when we change the future we are going to be friends with the Weasley's" Sirius muttered

**Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of home-made fudge. **

"Aww brilliant" Peter said

**"Every year she makes us a jumper," said Ron unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon." **

"Ahh I hate that color!" Ron moaned

**"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.  
His next present also contained sweets - a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.  
**  
"Your lucky you got those" Hermione said smiling "Mum and Dad nearly went mental when I bought them threatened to take them off of me"a

**This left only one parcel. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very light. He unwrapped it.  
Something fluid and silvery grey went slithering to the floor, where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped.  
**  
"Yey!Cloak!" Ron and Harry cheered

**"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every-Flavor Beans he'd got from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is - they're really rare, and really valuable." **

**"What is it?"  
Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to touch, like water woven into material.  
**  
"Is it mine though?" James asked

**"It's an Invisibility Cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is - try it on."  
**  
"Yeah, try it on, Harry!" said James.

**Harry threw the Cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell.  
"It is! Look down!"  
**  
The Marauders all looked excited.  
**  
Harry looked down at his feet, but they had gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in mid-air, his body completely invisible. He pulled the Cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely.  
**  
"I hope he gets in less trouble as his Father did" Lily sniffed

The trio all burst out laughing at Lily's statement.

"Less trouble than my Dad? Oh I think I got into a lot more than Dad did"  
**  
"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"  
**  
"We'll find out who sent it!" exclaimed Sirius.

"No really?" Draco sneered

**Harry pulled off the Cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing**

"Dumbles" Harry snarled

**he had never seen before were the following words: **

_**Your father left this in my possession before he died. **_**  
**_**It is time it was returned to you. **_**  
**_**Use it well. **_**  
**_**A Very Merry Christmas to you. **_**  
**  
James was smiling broadly. "Harry got my old cloak! I remember when my dad passed it down to me."

"Wowwie Jamie remembered something" Sirius teased

**There was no signature. **

"Bet you felt all mysterious didn't you?" Harry sneered

**Harry stared at the note. Ron was admiring the Cloak.  
"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the matter?" **

**"Nothing," said Harry. He felt very strange. Who had sent the Cloak? Had it really once belonged to his father?  
**  
"P-Duh! Of course!" James muttered

"Dude calm" Moony muttered

**Before he could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the Cloak quickly out of sight. He didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet.  
**  
"Good for you Harry" Moony said

**"Merry Christmas!" **

**"Hey, look - Harry's got a Weasley jumper, too!"  
Fred and George were wearing blue jumpers, one with a large yellow F on it, the other with a large yellow G.  
**  
"Awww," Hermione cooed "So cute"

"You know, if Gred and Forge heard you say that they would prank you" Ron commented

"That's why your not going to tell them isn't it Ronald" Hermione said dangerously

"No Ma'am" Ron shivered

**"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's jumper. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family." **

**"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm." **

**"I hate maroon," Ron moaned half-heartedly as he pulled it over his head. **

**"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid - we know we're called Gred and Forge." **

"It sounds so much funnier coming from the Twin's mouth's" Sirius snickered as he fell about laughing with James, Peter and Moony

**"What's all this noise?"  
Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving**.

"Gah! Percy!" Ron muttered

"Was he ever fun?" Harry asked

"No but I heard him mumbling to himself once, something about he felt incomplete like there was something missing"

"Maybe he was meant to be a twin as well, but the other died" Hermione guessed

"Yeah maybe I don't know why my mum wouldn't have told him though" Ron muttered "But maybe that's why he tries so hard … so he can prove himself or something"

"Could be"

"Continuing" Lily muttered

**He had clearly come halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy jumper over his arm, which Fred seized. **

**"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry got one."  
**  
Lily and James smiled sadly.

**"I - don't - want -" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the jumper over his head, knocking his glasses askew.  
**  
"Why does Percy wear glasses and the rest of you don't?" Hermione asked

"Dunno … problems in earlier life?"

"I wanna meet the Twins" Sirius moaned

**"And you're not sitting with the Prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."  
They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his sides by his jumper.  
**  
There was more laughter at this.

**Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, platters of fat chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic crackers were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats.**

**Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear-admiral's hat and several live, white mice. **

**Up on the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.  
**  
"And you look at gays disgustedly, have you seen yourself in a mirror?" James asked

"Dad" Harry warned "Leave it only I'm allowed to insult him" Harry smirked

**Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver Sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek,  
**  
"Aww Professor, we've always known you had a soft spot for Hagrid" Moony snickered

**Who, to Harry's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lop-sided.  
**  
"Wow our Head of House is drunk" Lily muttered

**When Harry finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a grow your own warts kit and his own new wizard chess set. **

"You should try the warts kit on Malfoy," said James.

**The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris' Christmas dinner. **

**Harry and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight in the grounds.  
**  
"Yey! Snowball fight!" Remus shouted

Everyone looked at him weirdly apart from his past counterpart. He was looking just as excited

"Oh come on in the twelve years we were friends you never once noticed I was always the one to suggest snowball fights?" Remus asked "I'm so hurt" He fainted dramatically and laughed, but Harry could see the slight signs of common rejection in Remus' eyes.

**Then, cold, wet and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. He suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much. **

**After a tea of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor Tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.  
**  
"That time wasn't as good as the time they 'rescued' that salamander from Care of Magical Creatures.

**It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of his mind all day. Not until he climbed into bed was he free to think about it: the Invisibility Cloak and whoever had sent it.  
**  
"Why I did of course" Dumbles said his chest puffing out

"You did it to train me, to spark my interest enough so that you could help me find the Mirror and then that would encourage me more and so on and so forth" Harry sniped

Dumbles looked shocked.  
**  
Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his four-poster. **

**Harry leant over the side of his own bed and pulled the Cloak out from under it.  
His father's ... this had been his father's.  
**  
James hugged his son.

**He let the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said. **

**He had to try it, now. He slipped out of bed and wrapped the Cloak around** **himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling. **

**Use it well. **

**Suddenly, Harry felt wide awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in this Cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and silence. He could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know. **

**Ron grunted in his sleep. Should Harry wake him?  
**  
"I understand Harry" Ron smiled encouragingly.

**Something held him back - his father's Cloak - he felt that this time - the first time - he wanted to use it alone. **

**He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room and climbed through the portrait hole. **

**"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Harry said nothing. He walked quickly down the corridor. Where should he go? He stopped, his heart racing, and thought. And then it came to him. The Restricted Section in the library.  
**  
"Brilliant place to start" Lily muttered

"The only section in the Library where things scream" Severus muttered

**He'd be able to read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. He set off, drawing the Invisibility Cloak tight around him as he walked.  
The library was pitch black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his way along the rows of books.  
**  
"Why don't you use Lumos?" Moony inquired

"I hadn't learned it remember new spells get created all the time maybe some of them made it into the first year curriculum before Lumos in my time?" Harry offered

"Oh yeah" Moony smacked himself in the head.

**The lamp looked as if it was floating in mid-air, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the sight gave him the creeps.  
**  
Peter shuddered.

**The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope which separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles.**

**They didn't tell him much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood.  
**  
"Probably was," muttered Sirius.

**The hairs on the back of Harry's neck p prickled. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.**

**He had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, he looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting-looking book. A large black and silver volume caught his eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open. **

**A piercing, blood-curdling shriek split the silence - the book was screaming!  
**  
"What are the odds?" James asked

"Harry just has to pick up a screaming book" Peter muttered

**Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on an on, one high, unbroken, ear-splitting note. He stumbled backwards and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. **

**Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside - stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, he ran for it.  
**  
"Excellent idea!" said Sirius

**He passed filch almost in the doorway; Filch's pale, wide eyes looked straight through him and Harry slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in his ears. **

**He came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. He had been so busy getting away from the library; he hadn't paid any attention to where he was going. **

**Perhaps because it was dark, he didn't recognize where he was at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, he knew, but he must be five floors above there.  
**  
"Well duh there are suits of armor all over the castle" Severus said

Harry merely stuck his tongue out at his lover.

**"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library - Restricted Section." **

**Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he was, Filch must know a short cut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied.  
**  
"Patrol duty, I hate it" Severus moaned "I never get enough sleep"

"Well then shouldn't have become a Potions Master or a teacher should you?" Harry asked

"Keep quiet brat"

**"The restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."  
Harry stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see him, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into him - the Cloak didn't stop him being solid.  
**  
"Yeah we found that out in a painful way" Sirius said

"We ran full speed into Hagrid fell down a flight of stairs" James remembered

**He backed away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It was his only hope.  
**  
"Yey! Thank you room" James cheered but them noticed Harry pale faced and silent hugging Severus.

"What's wrong with Harry?" James asked

"You'll find out"

**He squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything.  
**  
"Thank Merlin!' said Lily, relieved.

**They walked straight past and Harry leant against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. **

**It was a few seconds before he noticed anything about the room he had hidden looked like a disused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls and there was an upturned waste-paper basket - but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way. **

**It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.  
**  
"The mirror of Erised" Severus muttered "I show not your face but your hearts desire"

**His panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again. **

**He stepped in front of it.  
He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself screaming.  
**  
The past people, McGonagall, Hermione and Draco all looked at each other puzzled.

**He whirled around. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed - for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.  
**  
"But isn't the room empty?" Draco asked

"Think of the inscription" James said

"Oh"

**But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, he turned slowly back to the mirror.  
There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his shoulder - but, still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not? **

**He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she really was there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air - she and the others existed only in the mirror. **  
**  
She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes - her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green - exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time.  
**  
Lily gasped. "Is that me?"

**The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just like Harry's did.  
**  
"And that's me!" cried James. "His hearts deepest desire" He continued as he held a crying Lily and wiped away a few of the tears that ran down his face.

"Aw guys please don't cry" Harry begged joining his Mother and Father on the floor and hugging them "You're here now I finally get to meet you to talk to you that's good enough for me"

**Harry was now so close to the mirror now** **that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.  
"Mum?" he whispered. "Dad?"**

**They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, and even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees -**

Lily sobbed harder although you managed to understand "I told they were your grandfathers knees" through the small breaths she took.

**Harry was looking at his family for the first time in his life. **

Everyone in the room was silent, watching the small family.

**The Potters smiled and waved at Harry as he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through and reach them.  
**  
Lily cried even harder, and James' resolve was breaking.

**He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness.  
**  
That was the breaking point, James started sobbing as well clutching his son, Lily clutched her son too, Hermione began sobbing and flung herself into Ron's arms who eye's were welling up. Draco was hugging his Godfather not letting go as he too welled up, Severus was crying silent tears for his love, McGonagall was bawling into a handkerchief, Dumbles was wiping away tears, Remus was hugging the younger Sirius and Moony crying and Peter was crying too for the lives he had ruined. Harry was crying too, silently as always, like life had taught him to. Remus drew away to carry on reading.

**How long he stood there, he didn't know. The reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn't stay here; he had to find his way back to bed.  
**  
Lily stopped sobbing and clamed herself down so that she could say "Yes Harry get to bed you need the sleep"

Harry drew away from the hold his father had him in and whispered "You okay now mum?"

Lily nodded moving away to hug James.

Harry looked around and noticed everyone either crying or not looking at him.

"Come on now peoples" Harry laughed "sad moment over everyone's okay" he tried to cheer everyone up.

Severus drew away from his godson and opened his arms to his boyfriend and hugged him fiercely when Harry ran to him.

**He tore his eyes away from his mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back," and hurried from the room. **

**"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly. **

**"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror." **

**"I'd like to see your mum and dad," Ron said eagerly. **  
**  
"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone."**

"So you thought the mirror showed family?" Someone asked

"Yeah, but that's only because I didn't waste time figuring out to inscription and just looked at my family" Harry muttered

**"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not finding Flamel, though**. **Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"**

**Harry couldn't eat. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight. He had** **almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore.  
**  
"Are you sure going back is the right thing to do?" Draco asked

"Well I thought so at the time" Harry mumbled "But then I knew better"

"Ahh good wouldn't want you going mad on us" James laughed

**Who cared what the three-headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really?  
"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd." **

**What Harry feared most was that he might not be able to find the mirror room again. With Ron covered in the Cloak too, they had to walk much more slowly next night. They tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.**

**"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back." **

**"No!" Harry hissed. "I know it's here somewhere." **

**They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. Just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted the suit of armor.  
"It's here - just here - yes!" **

**They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the Cloak from round his shoulders** **and ran to the mirror**.

"That's a bit weird your running to a mirror" Sirius commented

"So?" Harry asked

"Nothing just commenting" Sirius shrugged

**There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him. **

**"See?" Harry whispered. **

**"I can't see anything." **

**"Look! Look at them all ... there are loads of them ..." **

**"I can only see you."**

"I was kinda disappointed when that happened I really wanted you to see my family" Harry said

"Sorry mate" Ron smiled

**"Look in it properly, go on, and stand where I am." **

**Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family any more, just Ron in his paisley pajamas. **

**Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.  
"Look at me!" he said. **

**"Can you see all your family standing around you?" **

**"No - I'm alone - but I'm different - I look older - and I'm Head Boy!" **

**"What?" **

**"I am - I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to - and I'm holding the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup - I'm Quidditch captain, too!"  
**  
"So you want to outshine your brothers Mr. Weasley?" Dumbles asked

"That's it!" Harry yelled "He bribed your mum!" Harry said looking at Ron "He bribed your mum to tell you to make friends with me and he'd give her whatever she saw in the mirror!"

"Harry, my boy how did you figure it out?"

"Like I said I'm smart and I am not your boy" Harry snarled "So what did Mrs. Weasley want?"

"Money naturally"

"Ahh so what you give her payments every month, probably out of my vault as well since I know you have my key, and what as soon as I die in combat against Voldemort she gets to spend it all"

"Ahh umm yes actually" Dumbles muttered

"So that's reimbursement off of you I want Dumbles or I shall sue you, and boot you out of the Headmaster's spot, I'm the heir to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, I can do it you know"

"How are you heir to those three?" James asked

"Mum wasn't muggleborn" Harry said "Leave it for now I'll explain when he's not around" Harry added jerking his head in Dumbles' direction

"Yes yes of course Mr. Potter I will reimburse every penny, I'll just take the money back off of Molly .." He was cut off

"Oh no you won't you will leave that money exactly where it is" Harry smirked "I want the money out of your personal account Dumbles"

"You can't do that" Dumbles spluttered

"Oh yes I really can you like your job don't you Sir?" Harry asked innocently

"Fine"

"Good Dumbles, I want that money in my bank the day after you get out of this room, and I want every penny Dumbles and I will know where it came from." Harry threatened.

"You bastard" Ron snarled lunging at the Headmaster

"No Ron he'll only expel you, leave it" Harry snapped

He saw the rest of the room giving Dumbledore disgusted looks and he nodded to Remus to continue reading.

**Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry. **

**"Do you think this mirror shows the future?" **

**"How can it? All my family are dead - let me have another look -" **

**"You had it all to yourself last night, give me a bit more time." **

**"You're only holding the Quidditch Cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents." **

**"Don't push me -" **

**A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.  
"Quick!"  
**  
"Uh, oh!" said Lily, looking worried.

**Ron threw the Cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. Ron and Harry stood quite still, both thinking the same thing - did the Cloak work on cats? After what seemed an age, she turned and left.**

**"This isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on."  
And Ron pulled Harry out of the room. **

**The snow still hadn't melted next morning. **

**"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron. **

**"No." **

**"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?" **

**"No ... you go ..." **

**"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight." **

**"Why not?" **

**"I don't know, I've just got a bad feeling about it - and, anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"  
**  
"Hermione!" Harry smirked at Ron

"Shut it you" Ron said

**"You sound like Hermione."  
**

**"I'm serious, Harry, don't go." **

**But Harry only had one thought in his head, which was to get back in front of the mirror, and Ron wasn't going to stop him.  
**  
"So stubborn" James sighed "Now that comes from both of us" He said

**That third night he found his way more quickly than before. He was walking so fast he knew he was making more noise than was wise, but he didn't meet anyone. **

**And there were his mother and father, smiling at him again, and one of his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all.  
Except - "So - back again, Harry?" **

**Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore.  
**  
"Ew Dumbles" Sirius hissed

**Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.  
" I - I didn't see you, sir." **

**"Strange how short-sighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.  
**  
"Lies you turn yourself invisible and stalk the school" Harry said

"**So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised." **

**"I didn't know it was called that, sir." **

**"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?" **

**"It - well - it shows me my family -" **

**"And it showed your friend Ron himself as Head Boy." **

"Told ya!" Harry cheered

**"How did you know-?" **

**"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?" **

**Harry shook his head. **

**"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is; he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?" **

**Harry thought. Then he said slowly. "It shows us what we want ... whatever we want ..." **

**"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you.  
**  
James looked stony, while Lily's face was sad.

**Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen,** **or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. **

**"The mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again.  
**  
"Like I would anyway with you skulking about" Harry muttered

**If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.  
Now, why don't you put that admirable Cloak back on and get off to bed?"  
**

**Harry stood up.  
"Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?" **

**"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however." **

**"What do you see when you look in the Mirror?" **

**"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."  
**  
"Socks? He's mental" Sirius muttered

**Harry stared.  
"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books." **

**It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question. **

"Well, it was," Severus laughed

"But we know what to get Dumbledore for Christmas," said James.

"That's the end of the chapter," said Remus. Peter volunteered to read next and took the book.

A/N I am so so so so so so so so sorry. I have waited far to long to undate and I'am annoyed at myself. I really am sorry.

Please forgive me =]

Crossfire.


	15. Secrets and Victories

Peter took the book and settled down then cleared his throat and turned the page.

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN NICOLAS FLAMEL!"**

**Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the Invisibility Cloak stayed folded at the bottom of Harry's trunk. Harry wished he could forget what he'd  
seen in the Mirror as easily, but he couldn't. He started having nightmares. Over and over again he dreamed about his parents disappearing in a flash of green light while a high voice cackled with laughter**

"Harry you shouldn't be having nightmares like that at your age" Lily exclaimed

"Oh just wait until after fourth year you'll get a kick out of those if you think that's bad" Harry laughed with no emotion whatever.

.**"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Harry told him about these dreams."**

"Well aren't you just the most helpful pixie in the box" Severus sneered

"I was eleven and still have the emotional range of a teaspoon how the hell am I meant to know what to do?" Ron snarled

"A snarl worthy of Slytherin Mr. Weasley five points to Gryffindor" Severus laughed

Ron looked horrified.

**Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Harry being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!") and  
disappointment that he hadn't found out who Nicolas Flamel was.**

"And yet not in the least bit worried about Harry's mental health." Scoffed Sirius

"They were only eleven Sirius." Lily reasoned.

**They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Harry had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started practice again. Wood was working them harder than ever.**

"God that was awful." Harry moaned "FOUR nights a week for three hours"

"My god, he shouldn't be working a first year that hard what was he thinking?"

"Maybe he wasn't" Harry and Ron suggested

**Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's side.**

"Wait I thought you said it was awful?" Lily questioned

"Yes, my son the Quidditch extraordinaire" James whooped

"Yeah, he's a Potter alright" Sirius joined in

"Noo, we don't need more Quidditch obsessed Potters" Remus moaned

"Shut Up!" Peter yelled "Maybe if we read the rest of the page we'll find out why Harry agreed"  
**  
If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the House Championship for the first time in seven years.**

"Yes, James it was quite the disaster" McGonagall muttered at James and Siius' dumbstruck expressions.

"Well not really for Slytherin" Severus smirked.

"Meh hush you" Harry muttered  
**  
Quite apart from wanting to win, Harry found he had fewer nightmares when he was tired out after training. Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just got very  
angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.  
**  
The Marauders laughed in appreciation.  
**  
"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"**

"WHAT! Snape doesn't even play!" Sirius jumped up yelling.

"Yes Black I do" Severus sneered

"No your all evil and mean you can't enjoy things like Quidditch" James whined

"Well excuse me for being Human Potter"

"You're not Human you're a Bat. A big greasy bat" Moony put in.

"If you are finished insulting my boyfriend I suggest we read the chapter before I really kick your asses." Harry hissed at the Marauders whilst looking sideways at Peter who was shaking his head at the immaturity of the rest of his friends.

**George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.**

Everyone snickered despite the news.

**"Snape's refereeing?" He spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."  
The rest of the team landed next to George to complain too.  
"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."**

"Ha!" growled James  
**  
Which was all very well, thought Harry, but he had another reason for not wanting Snape near him while he was playing Quidditch...**

"It wasn't me!" Severus yelled again frustrated with the book

"I didn't know that then!" Harry said back

"And you think that makes it alright?" Severus sneered

"Yes I do because then I was an abused eleven year old, hell I still am abused but then it was harder and I didn't know you then either" Harry screamed

"They still abuse you?" Lily asked quietly

"Yes, but just they wait until the summer, for I the wonderful and great Harry Potter-" cue snickers from his friends and Severus "Am in the process of getting emancipated, so the Dursley's can screw the end of my wand when I get home this summer" Harry finished gleefully.

James looked worried for his son's sanity

**The rest of the team hung back to talk to each other as usual at the end of practice, but Harry headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her.**

"Hey!" Hermione complained

"Oh come on Granger you know it's good for you" Draco laughed

Hermione huffed.

**"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him. "I need to concen-"  
He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."**

"Why thank you for pointing out the obvious Ron" Harry snickered

"Thank you I aim to please and impress" Ron bowed clumsily from his seat. ****

Speaking quietly so that no one else could hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.

"Hey what do you mean sinister?" Severus glared.

"Umm, me mean that your imposing" Harry squeaked.

"You might have just saved yourself there Potter" Severus muttered  
"**Don't play," said Hermione at once.**

"Doth my ears deceive me?" James shouted glaring at the book. "How dare she!"

"She is right here" Hermione said.

"Oh yeah"  
**  
"Say you're ill," said Ron.**

"NEVER!?!" Sirius gasped  
**  
"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.**

"What is this, betrayal?!" Moony asked  
**  
"Really break your leg," said Ron.**

"RONALD WEASLEY! BITE YOUR TONGUE! THAT'S MY SON YOU'RE TALKING TO!" Lily shouted  
**"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."**

"Yes someone around there does have brains" James sighed

**At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognised at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor Tower.**

"Because we would rather get on with our schoolwork Uncle Sirius" Draco shot in.

**Everyone fell about laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter-curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet trembling.  
"What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.  
"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."  
"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged him. "Report him!"**

"What? No! Prank him back!!" Sirius pulled out his note book. "I think that deserves a special one for Malfoy Senior when we get back."

"Why?" Remus asked

"Cause a) He hasn't taught his son how to prank properly b) he picked on a Gryffindor and the Slytherin is my nephew c) I just hate Malfoy.

"Ah!" Remus nodded in understanding.  
**  
Neville shook his head." I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.  
"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."  
"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked.  
**  
Here the past and present Gryffindors glared at Draco.

"I was brought up by Lucius Malfoy what exactly do you expect me to behave like?"

"True" James and Sirius muttered

**Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.**

"Aww how sweet, I'm so glad Petunia didn't rub off on you" Lily muttered

"Well what would you class as 'rub off on me'?" Harry asked

"Well, hatred of anything unusual, no manners , excessive doting" Lily answered

"Ah, not what I was thinking of then" Harry muttered

"Ah umm what were you thinking of Son?" James questioned carefully.

"Well I have an uncanny love of small enclosed spaces and strong smells of cleaning products, I love spiders and wood, that's all from living in the cupboard, then there was that time she literally did rub off on me" Harry said shuddering "That was terrifying"

"Umm ew much?" Draco asked looking faintly green

Lily however looked furious "She molested you?!" She screeched

"Umm, maybe." Harry muttered then hid in Severus' robes.

Everyone looked questionably at Sev but he just shook his head indicating they do not ask any more questions.

**"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."  
**  
"DAMN STRAIGHT!" Everyone cheered.

"And where did the Sorting Hat nearly put you?" Draco asked "In stinking Slytherin" He smirked

"Don't start you" Harry muttered

**Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the Frog. "Thanks, Harry ... I think I'll go to bed ... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?" As Neville walked away. Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.  
"Dumbledore again," he said. "He was the first one I ever-"  
He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron and Hermione.**  
"Uh!! What's it say? What's it say?" Sirius practically jumped Peter trying to look at the page.

"It's already been read out but if you insist on knowing Sirius" Peter explained "But before we go on, anyone hungry?"

"WHAT? Peter no! You can't do that!"

"Can and I am" Peter smirked

So everyone got food, after snickering at Sirius and Peter.

"Right oh mighty impatient one" Peter said looking at Sirius.

He took a deep breath and …

**"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here - listen to this: 'Professor Dumbledore is PARTICULARLY famous for his defeat of the dark  
wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"**

"Well the chapter title does kinda give it away!" Remus and Moony mused.

"And here we have our very own Remus' both of the same names and species but from different times dun dun duun" James and Sirius snickered at Harry's exclamation.

**Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd got back their marks for their very first piece of homework.**

"No Bookworm on a rampage hide!" Ron and Harry screeched and hid under the nearby table before Hermione could retaliate

"Pfft! Boys" Hermione sniffed angrily.

**"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Harry and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.  
"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."**

"Well I for one do not want to know what you class as heavy reading" Lily commented

"No you probably don't" Hermione retorted

**"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.**

"First sign of craziness" Ron sang

**At last she found what she was looking for.  
"I knew it! I knew it!"  
"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily.  
****Hermione ignored him.  
**  
"Why do you ignore them it's not very polite you know" Moony said

"And your point in this matter is" Hermione questioned

**"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"**

"And we have the book title" Harry whispered conspiratorially

"What's a Philosopher's Stone?" James, Sirius, Lily, Peter and Moony asked.

"A Magical Stone" Harry sang.

**This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.  
"The what?" said Harry and Ron.**

"See! We're not the only ones!" Sirius said happily.

"Yeah but they're eleven! What's our excuse?" Lily said wisely.

"It's not been found yet?"

"Maybe…"  
**  
"Oh, honestly, don't you two read?"**

"Yes, we do but come on after what four month there you expect us to know stuff like this?" Ron asked

"Yes I do"

"Well then your insane"

**"Look - read that, there." She pushed the book towards them, and Harry and Ron read:  
The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker  
immortal. There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera-lover. Mr Flamel, who celebrated his six  
hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).**

"Old people" Harry shuddered

"What's wrong with old people?" Dumbles asked

"There scary"

**"See?" said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it. That's  
why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"**

"How'd you work that out so fast?"

"Because she's a know-it-all" Draco quipped

"True but Lily here is really smart as well" James said

"Yeah well not as smart as me" Hermione sniffed

"Hey that's my mother you're talking about Hermione"

"Yeah your dead mother Potter, so treasure this whilst you can" Hermione sneered

"You fucking bitch" Harry screamed and whipped out his wand

"_Animagus Transformia Beaver Permio Harry Potter" _Harry then broke down cackling, as the smoke cleared and a bushy haired beaver sat on the chair where Hermione Granger used to be.

The Marauders (past and present) Lily, Ron, Draco and Severus all joined in laughing whilst McGonagall and Dumbles tried every spell they know to reverse Harry's spell.

"It won't work" Harry breathed out "Only I can reverse it and the more spells you cast the longer she has to stay like that"

James and Sirius fell about laughing again at this whilst Moony, Remus, Lily and Peter marveled at the amount of power _arry _Harry Harry must hold to be able to do something like that.

Severus, Ron and Draco were used to this so they were able to calm down quicker than the others.  
**  
A stone that makes gold and stops you ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."**  
"I don't want it" Severus insisted "I never did my life was bad enough why would I want to extend it?" He asked looking around.

Harry leaned over and gave his boyfriend a soft kiss. "Don't worry about it love."

**"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"**

"And here we have Ron our resident genius"  
**  
Next morning in Defence Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites,**

"Interesting! I wonder if they have any more different ways because I wasn't really keen on the take 'em out back and shoot 'em ones they had." Moony exclaimed.

"Yeah well people fear what they can't understand, what can you expect" Harry muttered bitterly. arry Harry  
**  
Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosopher's Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry remembered about Snape and the coming match.  
"I'm going to play," he told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them ...it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win.**

"Reckless Gryffindor" Severus muttered affectionately

"Sneaky Slytherin" Harry retorted

"Of course how else do you imagine only Remus knew about us?" Severus boasted

"Because I was almost sorted into Slytherin so I at least had some of their qualities" Harry answered back. ****

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the pitch," said Hermione.

"You people are so negative!" Lily exclaimed

"You're his best friends show him support not … depressive shitty views!" Moony yelled  
**  
As the match drew nearer, however, Harry became more and more nervous, whatever he told Ron and Hermione. The rest of the team weren't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the House Championship was  
wonderful, no one had done it for nearly seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee?**

"Heck yes! Just don't give him time to take points"

Here Harry began to snicker quietly whilst Severus smacked him around the back of the head.

**Harry didn't know whether he was imagining it or not, but he seemed to be running into Snape wherever he went.**

"Run Harry you are being stalked!" Sirius shouted

"I get stalked all the time" Harry muttered "Comes with the job of being 'The Chosen One'" Harry sneered using air quotes to get his point across.

**At times, he wondered whether Snape was following him, trying to catch him on his own.**

"Well I do that all the time now"

"What the following or the catching him on his own?" James asked

"Both, it's amusing sometimes to see his reactions, even though he knows I'll catch him"

"Oh come on you silence me then drag me into an abandoned classroom, in which you proceed to lock and silence, cast perimeter wards and the likes then fucking ravish my mouth whilst pulling at my clothes! What the hell do you want me to act like?"

Severus leaned over and whispered in Harry's ear, upon at which point Harry went bright red and looked to be rather flustered.

Peter just snickered and turned back to the book.

**Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, Snape was so horrible to Harry.**

"You know why don't you?" Severus said before Lily and James could protest about his unfair treatment.

"No why?"

"Because I'm a supposed follower of the Dark Lord and his defeater is in my classroom"

"Ooh" James and Moony muttered

**Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Philosopher's Stone? Harry didn't see how he could - yet he sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.**

"He can trust me. The images he plants in my mind in potions!" Harry exclaimed

Severus just snickered whilst Dumbledore again looked extremely disturbed.  
**  
Harry knew, when they wished him good luck outside the changing rooms next afternoon, that Ron and Hermione were wondering whether they'd ever see him alive again.**

"My god even I didn't act like that at eleven, it's not like anything can happen in a Quidditch match" Remus exclaimed.  
**  
This wasn't what you'd call comforting. Harry hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch robes and picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand. Ron and Hermione, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or why they had both brought their wands to the match.**

"As if you'd leave your wand anywhere!"

"That should be something taught at Hogwarts, always be prepared. And some beginner potions lessons or something and etiquette, just something to help those who grew up in the muggle world." Draco muttered  
**  
Little did Harry know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. They'd got the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.**  
**  
**"Smart!" agreed Lily.

"Five points from Gryffindor for conspiring to attack a teacher" McGonagall said.****

"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.  
"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

"They are so going to marry some day."

"No we won't because I'm Bi-Sexual and I already have a girlfriend and besides I got over Hermione last year" Ron said

"Like being Bi has anything to do with it Ron"

"Meh I don't care, just thought I'd let you know" Ron shrugged

"Your over me?" Hermione whispered

"Umm, yeah" Ron shrugged again.  
**  
Back in the changing room, Wood had taken Harry aside. "Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can ****favour**** Hufflepuff too much."**  
"Wow! For a guy who doesn't want to pressure Harry he sure sucks."

"I never thought I'd hear the day when Snape would favour a HUFFLEPUFF!" Snickered Sirius.

"Yes Hogwarts can do that to you" Severus sighed. ****

"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even - blimey - Dumbledore's come to watch!"

"Dumbledore!" said James bouncing.

"He's there because I told him about the broom jinxing incident" Severus put in helpfully

"But he only ever turns up at finals!" Sirius exclaimed

"Hey what can I say Harry inspires the worry in people" Severus said

"It's not like I mean too" Harry pouted

"We know cub but you do" Remus said.

**Harry's heart did a somersault.  
"Dumbledore?" he said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard. Harry could have laughed out loud with relief. He was safe. There was simply no way Snape would dare to try and hurt him if Dumbledore was watching.**

"Why would I want to hurt you anyway?" Severus asked

"You wouldn't, Voldemort on the other hand would" Ron replied

**Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the pitch, something that Ron had noticed, too.  
"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione. "Look - they're off. Ouch! "Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.**

"What the hell were you doing over there?**" **Severus asked

"I don't know I went to bug Weasley" ****

Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there." Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?" Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him.

They all burst out laughing, well Harry and Severus didn't.

"I Love those guys!"  
**  
Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch. "You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all.**

"Meanie" Harry pouted

**"It's the people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents,**

"Say what Malfoy?" Harry glared at his friend

**then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money –**

"Malfoy" Ron snarled

**you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."**

"Draconis Lucius Malfoy" Severus yelled in outrage "I know you were brought up by Lucius but that is no way to treat anyone so as soon as we get out of here you will apologize to Longbottom, don't argue with me I mean it" Sev snapped

"Fine" Draco muttered

**Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy."I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You  
tell him, Neville."  
**  
"Yeah, you tell him Neville!" The Marauders agreed.  
**  
"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."**

"I do love how you so easily make a fool of yourself Malfoy" Hermione muttered

"Excuse me?" Draco asked

"Well see your saying all this stuff to Neville and you have Crabbe and Goyle stood behind you, those two failed al but one of their O.W.L's and your calling Neville stupid.?"  
**  
Ron's nerves were already stretched to breaking point with anxiety about Harry.  
"I'm warning you, Malfoy - one more word -"  
"Ron!" said Hermione suddenly. "Harry -!"  
"What? Where?"**

"WHAT? Tell us!"

**Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers  
from the crowd.  
"HE'S SEEN THE SNITCH!" "Yes! Yes! Yes! Look at that Potter fly!" Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked towards the ground like a bullet.  
**  
"GO HARRY!" Everyone bellowed.****

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy. Ron snapped.

"Get him Ron!"

**Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.**

"Way to go Neville!" Harry cheered

**"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping off her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape -**

"Scare the shite out of him!"

"Oh I did that" Harry snickered

**She didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe and Goyle.  
**  
"Ignorance"

**Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches.**

"Blast!"

"No good because that means that Harry doesn't have to touch him!"

"But I touch him all the time" Harry said innocently loving the looks on the face of the people in the room.

**- next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand.**

"HELL YEAH!! TAKE THAT YOU BLOODY BASTARDS!!" Everyone jumped up and hugged each other.  
**  
The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.**

"THAT'S OUR BOY!" Everyone shouted doing a group high-five.

**"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor are in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.**

"Me thinks she be ecstatic!" mocked James fondly.  
**  
Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. He couldn't believe it. He'd done it - the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. As Gryffindors came spilling on to the pitch, he saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped - then Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face.**

"HA HA! Dumbles is impressed!"

"Dumbles impresses too easily when it comes to boy wonder" Draco muttered  
**  
"Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Harry could hear. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror ... been keeping busy ...excellent ..." Snape spat bitterly on the ground.**

"Ew Sev"

**Harry left the changing room alone some time later, to take his Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broom shed.**

"I don't think I ever left my broom in the broom shed. Never trusted the Slytherins!" James said

"And it's because you don't trust us we hate you"  
**  
He couldn't ever remember feeling happier.**

"That my dear boy is the after glow of showing people you can do things that they think you can't it's the best feeling in the world." Remus said

**He'd really done something to be proud of now - no one could say he was just a famous name any more. The evening air had never smelled so sweet.  
**  
"Oh baby! We never thought you were just a name! We love you for who you are! We loved you before you knew you were a wizard." Sobbed Lily.

"You're the son of a Marauder! You were always bound for greatness!"  
James said proudly.

Sirius, Peter, Moony and Remus nodded in agreement.  
**  
He walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift him on to their shoulders; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy  
nosebleed.**

"Oh I hope you weren't hurt too badly!" Lily gushed

**Harry had reached the shed. He leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape. And speaking of Snape…**

"Ooh I remember this night" Harry said

**A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible towards the Forbidden Forest.**

"How does he know it's Snape?" asked Lily.

"Who else would wear a hood in school grounds and walk that fast?" Ron asked

"True" James said

**Harry's victory faded from his mind as he watched. He recognised the figure's prowling walk.**

"Well that's an interesting skill to have; Profiling"

"That's not a skill!" Lily protested

"Sure it is!" Harry argued "Do you know how much trouble I've been able to keep out of and cause because I study other people's body movements?" Harry asked.

**Snape was sneaking into the Forest while everyone else was at dinner -**

"Shame on you, you need to eat more" Harry cooed.

"I do not"

"Yes you do and don't argue with me" Harry glared.

**What was going on? Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand and took off.**

"Spying on your teachers" James muttered

"Not even we did that in first year" Moony muttered

"Second maybe but not first" Sirius continued

"Really?" Peter asked surprised "I followed the teacher's all the time"

**Gliding silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the Forest at a run. He followed. The trees were so thick he couldn't see where Snape had gone. He flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he  
heard voices. He glided towards them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree.**

"So Harry had any experience in stalking people in trees?" James asked pleasantly

"Why Father what would make you ask such a thing?" Harry replied innocently

"Well you can land noiselessly and you know the different types of trees"

"I'm a nature freak and yes I have"

**He climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to his broomstick, trying to see through the leaves. Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too.**

"Well, well, well… the plot thickens!" Draco snickered

"Oh that's just disgusting" Hermione shuddered  
**  
Harry couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Harry strained to catch what they were saying. "... d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..."**

"So Sevvie here called the meeting" James asked

**"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy. **

"Bad images very bad images" Harry moaned

Severus just gathered Harry up and began to kiss him, effectively soothing all his lovers worry's.

**"Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone after all."**

"Well then Dumbles should have just left the door locked and put some sort of spooky glamour on the corridor in case students opened it" Lily said  
**  
Harry leant forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him. "Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"**

"Why would you be asking that?" Sirius asked

"I'm a spy for Dumbledore so I intended to find out how far Quirrell had gotten" Severus answered

**"B-b-but Severus, I -" **

**"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step towards him.**

"Does anyone want you as their enemy" Ron asked

"Nah I don't think so" Harry answered  
**  
"I-I don-t know what you -"  
"You know perfectly well what I mean."  
An owl hooted loudly and Harry nearly fell out of the tree. He steadied himself in time to hear Snape say,  
"- your little bit of hocus pocus. I'm waiting."**

"Hocus pocus?" Asked Remus.

"Muggle term for magic" Hermione replied

**"B-but I d-d-don't -"  
"Very well," Snape cut in. We'll have another little chat soon,**

"What fun! Next time they can have tea and biscuits while they chat!"

"I don't think Snape does chatting…"

"No he does fucking" Harry said  
**  
when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."**

"I wonder what that means?"

"That means whatever you want it to mean Potter" Severus sneered

**He threw the cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.**

"Wimp!"

"Of course he is" Remus said.

**"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.  
"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye**

"YES!"

**And Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed!**

"Poor Neville."

**He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he's be all right - talk about showing Slytherin!**

"Ouch!"

**Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."**

"They so have the map!"

"Have I not already told you that?"

**"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this ..."  
He made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, then he told them what he'd seen and heard.**

"But, but the party!" a shocked Sirius stuttered.

"Yes it's a party, a party which will go on for hours if I know Gryffindors" Draco muttered.

**"So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy – and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' - I reckon there are other  
things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy,**

"Well Duh" Sirius said

**loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell which Snape needs to break through -"**

"I wonder who else Dumbles has to guard the Stone."

"Minnie." Sirius said.

"Flitwick." James seconded.

"Sprout." Lily finished.

"Well of course they would there the heads of houses" Hermione said

**"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.  
"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.**

Everyone snickered.

"Well that's that chapter finished" Peter said "Who's reading now?"

"I will" Moony offered

**Omg Guys I am so so so so sorry. But hopefully this chapter is good enough for you and I will most likely have one up tomorrow night. **

**Crossfire. **


	16. Fire

Hehe. And I am back =]

Thanks to everyone who is reviewing and can yeew check out my profile and vote on the poll please.??

Thanks again.

Crossfire.

---------------------------------

**Chapter Fourteen: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback**

"Yey! Dragons!" Ron shouted

"How can you be happy do you even remember that week?" Hermione shrieked

"Of course I do, do you remember my hand?" Ron asked

"You mean there really was a Dragon?!" McGonagall asked

"Pah! Of course" Harry said joyfully.

McGonagall looked horrified whilst Draco was jumping around.

The Marauders were all looking confused. Moony cleared his throat and began,

**Quirrell, however, must have been braver than they'd though. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he'd cracked yet.**

**Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe.**

"When are you ever not sweeping around in your usual temper Professor?" Hermione asked

"I will ignore that Miss Granger"

**Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Sorcerer's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and color-coding all her notes.**

"Color coded study schedules?" Draco said aghast "What insanity are you Granger?" he continued

"Organized" she answered with a sniff

**Harry and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.**

"But this was weeks before exams" Draco whined, "why are you already studying"

"**Hermione, the exams are ages away."**

"**Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."**

"But we aren't six hundred and sixty something, are we?" Ron asked.

"**But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. **

"See"

"**Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."**

"**What am I revising for? Are you mad?** **You realize we need to pass these exams to get into second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..."**

"Hanging around with me?" Harry and Ron said simultaneously

"Most likely" she muttered

**Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones.**

"They never are" Everyone sighed, remembering their own school years, except Hermione who huffed indignantly

**It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. **

"Nah you learn to tune it out after a while" Harry said

"Hey!" Hermione complained

**Moaning and yawning, Harry and Ron spent most of their free time in the library with her to get through all their extra homework.**

"**I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.**

**Harry, who was looking up 'Dittany' in **_**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi**_**, didn't look up until he heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"**

"Hagrid? I can't remember the last time I even saw him inside the castle" Ron gasped, "Well, except near the great hall"

"You know" Harry stated, "neither can I"

**Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.**

"**Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once.**

"He couldn't tell a decent lie if his life depended on it" Hermione chuckled

"Or change a subject" James added, nodding

"Na. but where would we be without him" Harry chuckled

"**An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"**

"**Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "**_**And**_** we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St – "**

"Ron, never was very subtle" Harry smiled

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed

"_**Shhhh!**_**" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"**

"**There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy – "**

"And that's how you deal with Hagrid" Ron said triumphantly

"How, throw valuble information around?" Severus asked glaring

"Uh duh, it gets him to shut up and say he'll tell us everything later" Ron said smiling

"**SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen – come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind,** **but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh – "**

"**See you later, then," said Harry.**

**Hagrid shuffled off.**

"**What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.**

"**Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"**

"Why did we even think that?" Ron asked

"Because he was being shifty and secretive?" Hermione said

**I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working.**

**He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.**

"_**Dragons!**_**" he whispered.**

"YES" Draco cheered

"Oh no" Severus groaned

"50 points to Slytherin" McGonagall muttered

Everyone looked shocked

"**Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: **_**Dragon Species of Great Britain and Irealnd**_**; **_**From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide**_**."**

"**Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said Harry.**

"**But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon-breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that.**

"How can you know that but not remember what wand movement to use in an Accio spell?" Harry exclaimed

"It's just one of those random facts people brought up with DRAGON HANDLERS remember!"

**It's hard to stop Muggles noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden – anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."**

"**But there aren't wild dragons in **_**Britain**_**?" said Harry.**

"**Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hedridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our lot have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."**

"**So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.**

"Couldn't you guess?" Moony asked

"Oh yes because 11 year olds are meant to guess whether or not someone is harboring an illegal dragon" Lily exclaimed

**When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed.**

**Hagrid called, "Who is it?" before he let them in and then shut the door quickly behind them.**

"Never did really wait for an answer" Harry muttered

**It was stiflingly hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate.**

**Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.**

"If there's anything worse than Hagrid's subtlety, it's his cooking" Harry smiled

"**So – yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"**

"**Yes," said Harry. There was no point in beating about the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."**

**Hagrid frowned at him.**

"**O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn't tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts – I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know about Fluffy."**

"Well that's a bit of a story" Ron grinned

"Literally breathtaking" Sirius grinned

"**Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice.**

"Flattery will get you far" James smiled

"Very far" Severus said

**Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had **_**done**_** the guarding, really," Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."**

"Clever, I'll give you that" Severus said, shaking his head

**Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione.**

"**Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that...**

"Nah, not really Hagrid, were just gunna ya know keep watch on certain teachers" Ron smirked

"Yeah, not like were gunna try and break in or anything" Harry said innocently.

…**let's see...he borrowed Fluffy from me...then some o' the teachers did enchantments...Professor Sprout – Professor Flitwick – Professor McGonagall - " he ticked them off on his fingers. "Professor Quirrell – an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."**

"**Snape?"**

"**Yeah – yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."**

**Harry knew Ron and Hermione were thinking the same as he was. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything – except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.**

"**You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"**

"I disappoint myself with that question" Harry sighed

"Why" Hermione asked interested

"If I had worded it differently, I could have figured it all out sooner"

"**Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.**

"**Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."**

"**Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. Harry noticed him glance at the fire. Harry looked at it too.**

"How do you notice these things" Severus and James said simultaneously, and looked shocked

"**Hagrid – what's **_**that**_**?"**

**But he already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.**

"**Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard. "That's – er..."**

"**Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg.**

"**It must've cost you a fortune."**

"**Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the villiage havin' a few drinks an' got into a game of cards with a stranger.** **Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."**

"Yes, I bet he was, good old Tommy-Boy" Harry chuckled

"**But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.**

"Yes, what is he going to do?" Sirius, James, Peter and Moony asked excitedly

"**Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow.** **"Got this outta the library – **_**Dragon-Breeding for Pleasure and Profit**_** – it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here.**

"You know, "Ron mused, "they really should remove some of those books from the library"

"Sacrilege" Hermione shouted" next you'll be…."

But what they'd be they never found out, as Harry cast a quick silencio and motioned for Moony to keep reading

**Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour.**

"I burnt my robes" Harry said

"Really, I used a hell of a lot of sanitizing spells" Hermione said

"Meh, I threw mine on top of Harry's" Ron shrugged

"Yay! Fire!" Harry giggled.

**An' see here – how ter recognise diff'rent eggs – what I got there's a Norwegian Ridegback. They're rare, them."**

**He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.**

"**Hagrid, you live in a **_**wooden house**_**," she said.**

**But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.**

**So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.**

"**Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, as evening after evening they struggled though all the extra homework they were getting.**

"I've wondered that many times" Harry smiled, reminiscing

"I think most people have" Draco said

**Hermione had now started making study schedules for Harry and Ron, too. It was driving them nuts.**

**Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: **_**It's hatching**_**.**

"What?!" Everyone but Draco, Harry, Hermione and Ron shouted

"It's HATCHING?" Severus exclaimed

**Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.**

"What? That's a once in a lifetime event, how can you not go" Draco gasped

"I tried to explain that to her" Harry smirked

"I had class," Hermione said, as if that explained everything

"**Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"**

"See" Harry smiled

"**We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing – "**

"**Shut up!" Harry Hissed.**

"My Potter, can't be a little nicer to your friends?" Severus asked

"Nope never, being nice isn't in my nature" Harry sighed

**Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen.** **How much had he heard?** **Harry didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all.**

**Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the Forest.**

"**It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.**

**The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.**

Not a breath could be heard.****

They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.

**All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped down on to the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Harry thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella.**

Everyone chuckled

"Harry" Hermione laughed, "you have the weirdest was of describing things"

**Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body and it had a long snout with wide nostrils, stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.**

**It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.**

"**Isn't he **_**beautiful**_**?" Hagrid murmured.**

"Yeah…beautiful" Harry smirked

**He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.**

"**Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!" said Hagrid.**

"…"

"You have got to be kidding me" Severus snarled

"Wish we were" Harry whispered to everyone

"**Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian ridgebacks grow, exactly?"**

**Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face – he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.**

"**What's the matter?"**

"**Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains – it's a kid – he's runnin' back up ter the school."**

"If this is you Draco" Severus threatened

**Harry bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.**

**Malfoy had seen the dragon.**

By now Draco had was sat curled in his chair looking wearily at people in the room.

**Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Harry, Ron, and Hermione very nervous. They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.**

"**Just let him go," Ron urged. "Set him free."**

"You can't just let it die" Sirius gasped

"**I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."**

**They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils.** **Hagrid hadn't been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.**

"**I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes.**

"**He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mummy?"**

"**He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Harry's ear.**

"**Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it a fortnight **

"Fortnight? Two weeks? Harry with the amount he's probably feeding the bloody thing it'll be less than a fortnight" Remus said

**and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."**

**Hagrid bit his lip.**

"**I – I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."**

**Harry suddenly turned to Ron.**

"**Charlie," he said.**

"Charlie? He's Ron, don't tell me you've lost it too" James laughed

"Nope" Hermione smiled, "he never had it"

"**You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"**

"**No – Charlie – your brother Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"**

"Well I suppose that is the safest way to get rid of a Dragon" McGonagall and Snape admitted

"**Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"**

**And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could owl to Charlie to ask him.**

**The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione and Harry sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak.**

**He had been down to Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.**

"Now those robes, I desecrated, there weren't even ashes left of those things" Harry smiled

"Professor? Should we never let Harry near fire?"

"No, let him near it, he goes mental without it" Severus shuddered as if remembering something horrible.

"**It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief.**

"Oh I remember that bite" Hermione and Harry winced "Awful thing it was"

"Was he who all those bloody potions were for that week?" Severus asked astonished

"**I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met,**

"Bet you don't say that now" Harry smiled, remembering the acromantula (sp?)

**but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it.** **And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."**

**There was a tap on the dark window.**

"**It's Hedwig!" said Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"**

**The three of them put their heads together to read the note.**

_**Dear Ron,  
How are you? Thanks for the letter – I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon.  
Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.  
Send me an answer as soon as possible.  
Love,  
Charlie**_

**They looked at each other.**

"**We've got the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too difficult – I think the cloak's big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."**

**It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that the other two agreed with him. Anything to get rid of Norbert – and Malfoy.**

**There was a hitch.**

"There always is" the Gryffindors sighed

**By next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey – would she recognize a dragon bite?**

"Yes" Hermione sighed, "And animal hair added polyjuice, and spider bites and fights with the Whomping Willow"

"Ah, that was the best" Harry laughed "Still Poppy isn't really ever bothered as long as we tell her our 'Mission Impossible' plans" he continued, using quotation marks.

Ron just laughed

**By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous.**

"Duh" Severus and Remus chuckled

**Harry and Hermione rushed to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.**

"**It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off.** **Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. **

"Draco. I know you were raised by Lucius but that is beyond the line" Severus said

"Sorry" Drake muttered

**He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me – I've told her it was a dog but I don't think she believes me –** **I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he' doing this."**

"No it wasn't" Draco muttered, "I was just being a git"

**Harry and Hermione tried to calm Ron down.**

"**It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.**

"**Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no – oh no – I've just remembered – Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."**

"Why did you actually look through the book?" James asked

"The note was already sticking out" Draco answered

"Roon" Harry groaned.

**Harry and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.**

"**It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told Hermione. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."**

**They found Fang the boarhound sitting outside with a bandaged tail when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them.**

"Poor little doggy" Lily cooed

"**I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage – nothin' I can't handle."**

**When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg.**

"Hagrid's as tough as nails. Dragon bites don't faze him" Remus stated

"**Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot – jus' playin' – he's only a baby, after all."**

**The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Harry and Hermione walked back to the castle, feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.**

**They would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say goodbye to Norbert if they hadn't been so worried about what they had to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night and they were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because they had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against that wall.**

"Wait" Harry frowned, "how'd he get a muggle tennis ball"

"Probably stole it" Sirius said

"Yeah it is Peeves after all" Moony said

"Don't forget that one we gave him" Peter said

"Oh yeah, but I didn't think he'd keep the ball" Remus muttered

"He loved us remember" James sighed

**Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.**

"**He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."**

"Yeah because a teddy is going to survive against a bloody Dragon" McGonagall snarled

"The poor teddy bear" Dumbles said

**From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to Harry as though teddy was having his head torn off.**

"See" Draco smirked, before frowning, "how do you know it's its head?"

Harry just shrugged "Head's have more stitching than the rest of the teddy? I don't know I never had a teddy bear"

Suddenly the room pelted teddy bears at Harry, who yelped and tried to dive bomb all the accumulated teddies.

"**Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Harry and Hermione covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mummy will never forget you!"**

"I'm pretty sure he said something along those lines when releasing the acumantula" Dumbles muttered

**How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle, they never knew. Midnight ticked nearer and nearer as they heaved Norbet up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. Up another staircase, then another – even one of Harry's short cuts didn't make the work much easier.**

"Ah, if only I knew about that revolving staircase" Harry sighed

"**Nearly there!" Harry panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.**

**Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows, staring at the two outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared.**

**Professor McGonagall,** **in a tartan bathrobe and a hairnet,** **had Malfoy by the ear.**

"Who would wear that in public?" James asked aghast

"Someone who didn't want to be caught?" Draco suggested

"Yeah but caught doing what?" Harry asked when he noticed Professor McGonagall going red.

Moony coughed and carried on reading.

"**Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you – "**

"**You don't understand, Professor, Harry Potter's coming – he's got a dragon!"**

"Are you a Slytherin or not" Snape sneered, "you should have known she wouldn't believe you"

"**What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on – I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"**

**The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig.**

Hermione blushed

"**Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"**

"NOO!" James shouted suddenly.

"Okayy …"

"**Don't," Harry advised her.**

**Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness.**

**Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them.**

**They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Harry and Hermione shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.**

**At last, Norbert was going...going…**_**gone**_**.**

**They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them.**

**No more dragon – Malfoy in detention – what could spoil their happiness?**

"I should have known not to think that" Hermione sighed

**The answer to that was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.**

"**Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."**

**  
They'd left the Invisibility Cloak on top of the tower.**

"Dammit you guys!" James and Sirius exclaimed

"I'm sorry!" Harry wailed hugging one of the teddy bears.

"That's the end you guys" Moony muttered

My god's. Sorry it so like, LATE.

I suck I know. SORRY 

Anyways. Here you go.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form


	17. The Girlish Screams of a Blonde Boy

Omg. I don't seem to have updated in nearly a year. And it's taken me nearly two year's to finish this story :'(  
I am so so so Sorry, a lot of people are still commenting and adding this storys to alerts and things, but I'm just a sucky Author. BUT I hope to actually have this story finished by tomorrow, and here is the first instalment.  
---------------------------------

"Right so who's nest?" James asked

"Me, me MEEEE!!" Draco yelled

"Okay, Okay" James replied helplessly.

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
THE FORBIDDEN FOREST**

"Ha" Harry chuckled, "It's a good thing your reading this chapter. No one else can imitate that scream of yours"

Hermione began to giggle.

**Things couldn't have been worse.**

"Of course they could have" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, I mean, once Filch finds you, you're a goner!" Sirius said

"Truer words have never been spoken Padfoot" Moony said.

**Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other.**

**Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis and wild cover-up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each more feeble than the last. **

**He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered.**

**How could they have been so stupid as to forget the Cloak?**

"Yeah how could you forget the cloak?" Remus asked

"It's easy when your mind is high on exuberance from getting rid of a very dangerous and poisonous dragon" Harry defended

"But still, The Invisibility Cloak" James muttered

**There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes.**

**Add Norbert and the Invisibility Cloak and they might as well be packing their bags already.**

"Then it's a good thing she never found out about them" Hermione quipped

"Cept for at this particular moment of course" Ron added in helpfully

"Shut up Ron" Harry and Hermione muttered

**Had Harry thought that things couldn't have been worse? He was wrong.**

"Very, Poor Neville" Harry sighed

"Neville?!"

"Yeah, he overheard Malfoy, came to try and see if he could warn us" Hermione sighed "We never did really thank him for that"

**When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.**

**"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag-"**

**Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen.**

**She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.**

There were some weak chuckles

**"I would never have believed it of any of you.**

"She's given up saying that" Severus muttered

"Funny, the same thing happened around us four when we were in school" Peter put in.

"Yes well, things calmed down until the Weasley twins were inducted into Hogwarts" McGonagall muttered "And then of course, these three" She pointed out Harry, Ron and Hermione who tried to look innocent. "Recipe for disaster, that's what Hogwarts really is"

**Mr Filch says you were up the astronomy tower. Its one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."**

**It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.**

**"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some Cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him**.

**I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"**

**Harry caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville - Harry knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.**

"We never really apologized for that either" Harry commented

"For the record, I am sorry I didn't believe you, 150 points to Gryffindor" McGonagall said.

"WHEYYY!!" Screamed the entire horde of Gryffs contained in the room

**"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before!**

"Now now Minnie, you know you shouldn't lie to a student," Severus admonished "It's a bad thing to do isn't it?"

"Yes Severus, sorry Severus" Minnie muttered.

The Marauders just stared.

**You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense.**

"So did I" Hermione moaned, shaking her head.

**As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this.**

"Nah not really" Harry commented

"WHAT!" Sirius, Moony, Remus, James, Peter and Ron all exclaimed

"My friends mean more to me than my house, and since I happen to have friends from all houses, I aren't really fussed over the house points" Harry explained.

"But that's just like, sacrilege!" Moony said

"Yeah what he said" Sirius added.

"Shut up Black, Pettigrew" Severus sneered

**All three of you will receive detentions - yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous**

"Dangerous is it Minnie?" Severus asked

"Nothing like giving them a clue" Remus said.

**- and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."**

**"Fifty?" Harry gasped – **

"Bad move" Harry chuckled

**they would lose the lead, the lead he'd won in the last Quidditch match.**

**"Fifty points **_**each**_**," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long pointed nose.**

"I thought Dumbles was the only one with the long pointed nose?" Peter commented

James looked at McGonagall "You know, your nose is kinda long and pointy, nothing like his obviously, but it is long and pointy"

"James!" Lily said, then slapped him around the head "You take that back"

"No I was only making an observation" James pouted childishly.

**"Professor - please -"  
"You can't-"  
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."**

"Liar, what about fifth year, with 'The Incident'" James asked

"Oh yes, I had almost forgotten about that" she said offhandedly

Severus glared at Minerva "You almost forgot?" He asked icily and you could see McGonagall gulp

"Oh so because I was a Slytherin, whatever fate I came to didn't matter did it?" He asked

"No no of course not Severus" she hurriedly tried to cover up her tracks "I just meant, it was so long ago.."

"And yet, you can remember with extreme accuracy the year Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup 380 points to 190 against Ravenclaw, you are full of shit McGonagall" And Severus shut up, and just hugged his Harry, whilst said Harry, glared at his head of house.

**A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the House Cup.**

**Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?  
Harry didn't sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbing into his pillow for what seemed like hours. **

**Harry couldn't think of anything to say to comfort him. He knew Neville, like himself, was dreading the dawn. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done?**

**At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hour-glass that recorded house points next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him and a couple of other stupid first-years.**

"Fucking stupid school, there are more important things than winning the house cup" Harry said

"That is true" Draco commented

**From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated.**

"So it started that early did it? I had forgotten that" Harry commented

"How could you forget the whole school hating you?" Sirius asked

"It's easy when it happens at least once a year" Harry shrugged.

"Once a Year?" Asked Lily completely aghast at the treatment of her baby boy.

"Yup"

"Well not so much third year" Ron added "All that happened that year, was Sirius trying to break into Gryffindor tower"

"What?" Sirius asked

"Why would he do that?" Moony said

"Later, it's a different book entirely" Hermione said.

**Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the House Cup.**

"Yeah. But you never see them actually do anything to keep them from winning" Hermione sneered

**Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"**

**Only Ron stood by him.**

"That's right, because I understood what was going on!"

**"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them."**

**"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.**

**"Well - no," Ron admitted.  
It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren't his business from now on.**

"Yeah…that'll be the day," Draco laughed

"Shush Dray"

**He'd had it with sneaking around and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign the Quidditch team.**

"You did?" Hermione frowned, "what good would that have been?"

**"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"  
But even Quidditch had lost its fun. **

James and Sirius gasped, as if just thinking those words was a worth a stint in a dungeon or something.

**The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they called him 'the Seeker'.**

**Hermione and Neville were suffering too. They didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well known, but nobody would speak to them either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.**

"Huh…then I guess it was all for the best" Harry smiled, pulling them out of their funk

Hermione just poked her tongue out at Harry

**Harry was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. All the revision he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Ron and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells off by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions...**

**Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test.**

"Longest ever record" Harry said proudly

"Have a chocolate frog Harry!" Ron yelled

The room was covered in chocolate frogs. "Nice one Ron" Harry muttered

**Walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead.**

**As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.**

**"No - no - not again, please-"**

"He sounds like he's being punished" Peter said

"Oh he is" Hermione smirked

**It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer.  
"All right - all right -" he heard Quirrell sob.**

**Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom, straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry.**

**He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell even noticed him. **

"Nah, I'm too invisible to be detected" Harry exclaimed

Others just snickered.

**He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway towards it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling.**

**All the same, he'd have gambled twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape had just left the room, **

"Good thing I don't gamble" Harry chuckled

**and from what Harry had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step**

"You should try that once, and then take points from people staring" Draco suggested

"Hmm, that would be fun" Severus contemplated

Harry just smirked.

**- Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.**

**Harry went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. Harry told them what he'd heard.  
"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his spell -"**

**"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.**

**"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here, telling you how to get past a three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"**

**The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.**

**"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."**

"But there's no proof" Lily snapped

**"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor - who do you think they'll believe, him or us? Its not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think.**

"Smart and Logical Harry" Draco commented

"I told you" Harry smiled.

**And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."  
Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.**

**"If we just do a bit of poking around -"**

**"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around."  
He pulled a map of Jupiter towards him and started to learn the names of it's moons.**

**The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:**

**Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the Entrance Hall.  
Prof, M. McGonagall**

**Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furore over the points they'd lost. He half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of revision lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they got.**

"Bloody Gryffindor logic" The Slytherins said

**At eleven o'clock that night they said goodbye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there -and so was Malfoy.**

**Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had got a detention, too.  
"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he continued, leering at them.**

"Meanie" Draco said, Everone just looked at him, "What? He is, he kept on threatening me when we were waiting for you, said if you weren't there by this certain time, he'd haul me off to the dungeons to hang me up by my ankles, the man's a sadist!"

**"Oh yes ... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me ... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out ... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed ... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."**

"Yeah" Harry sneered sarcastically, "cause that was the first thing we thought about"

"Well I don't know about you, but I know me and Neville did" Hermione muttered

"Sarcasm Herms, sarcasm"

**They marched off across the grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.**

**The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.**

**"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."**

"Good 'ole Hagrid ey? See it's not that bad" James said

"Did you not notice the title of the chapter or are you really a complete Dunderhead Potter?" Severus asked

"You mean…?" Lily started

"Yep, detention in the Forbidden Forest, what a truly lovely school you run Headmaster" Draco said.

"How I decide to punish the students is my business Mister Malfoy" Dumbles replied

**Harry's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. His relief mush have shown on his face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy - it's into the Forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."**

"Huh. Then I guess you're not as smart as you think" Hermione smiled

"I think he meant our minds wouldn't be totally intact" Draco commented.

"Ah well then that explains his excitement" Hermione continued.

**At this, Neville let out a little moan and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.**

"I'd forgotten how much of a wimp you used to be" Harry laughed

"Just because your not scared Ry, doesn't mean the rest of us weren't" Draco hissed

**"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things there - werewolves, I heard."**

"I like werewolves" Harry smiled "But wolves are just plain nasty" he shuddered

**Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.  
"That's your lookout, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"**

**Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.**

**"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"**

**"I shoildn't be too friendly with them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they are here to be punished, after all."**

**"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot**

Draco chuckled at this as he read

"Mature Draco," Harry sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation "real mature"

**your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."**

**"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back towards the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness**

**Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.  
"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.**

"Harry that's awful" Hermione said, trying to hide her own amusement

"He was a spoiled brat, it was nice to see him scared" Harry defended with a smirk on his face

"Payback's a bitch Ry, just remember that" Draco smiled, a feral kind of glint in his eye.

**"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."**

**"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do.**

"You know, I'll always hate my Father for the way he brought me up" Draco muttered

"Amen to that my brother" Harry exclaimed laughing

**I thought we'd be writing lines or something. if my father knew I was doing this, he'd -"**

"He'd tell you that you deserved it, and should stop acting like a little girl" Severus said.

Draco glared at him

"What he would, I'm not your godfather for nothing Draco" he finished.

**"- tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Writin' lines! Wthat good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"**

**Malfoy didn't move. Ho looked at Hagrid furiously but then dropped his gaze.  
"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment.**

**He led them to the very edge of the Forest. Holding his lamp up high he pointed down a long narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the Forest.**

"This is going to be some sort of bad isn't it? Lily and Remus asked.

"Nah not really" Harry cheerfully said.

"Liar!" Draco exclaimed pointing his finger at Harry.

"Shut up, there not meant to be scared, they might get all Parent-y, and I'm not used to that so I'll just get pissed of, Now shush" Harry hissed. "Everything will be fine really, I'm still here look" he said pointing at himself, "So nothing that bad could have happened" he finished off with false cheer that no one but Severus could detect, but it worked and everyone calmed down.

**"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood.**

"Who in their right mind would harm a unicorn?" Lily breathed

"Moldy-Voldy of course" Draco said.

"Excuse me?" Severus asked

"Umm, Moldy-Voldy? Draco squeaked.

"Yes that's what I thought you said" Severus shook his head whilst other around the room began to laugh at 'Moldy-Voldys' expense.

**There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."**

**"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.**

**"There's nothin' that lives in the Forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid.**

"Yeah right" Hermione seethed, recalling Harry's description of the meeting with Aragog

"We weren't with Hagrid at the time" Harry whispered

"Yeah but we were with Fang" Ron said

"Oh yeah" Harry muttered scratching his chin.

**"An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. there's blood all over the place, it must've been staggerin' around since last night at least."**

**"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.**

**"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid.**

**"So me, Harry an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville an' Fang'll go the other. **

"An accident waiting to happen" Severus muttered

"Yeah, what was Hagrid thinking?" Ron asked

"Hagrid rarely thinks in situations like these, he cares for the animals too much" Lily put in.

"True" someone muttered.

**Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practise now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go."**

**The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path and Harry, Hermione and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville and Fang took the right.  
They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground.**

**Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver blue blood on the fallen leaves.  
Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.  
"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.**

**"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."**

**They walked past a mossy tree-stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.  
"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt an' then we'll be able ter - GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"**

Draco bellowed these last words

"Shit Dray" Harry exclaimed

"Fucking, don't ever, ever do that again Malfoy" James muttered hugging Lily to his chest as she calmed down from the quick shock

"I agree with James" Sirius, Remus and Moony all said.

**Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted -**

"I must admit that hurt" Hermione said

**- them off the path behind a towering oak. he pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby; it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground.**

**Hagris was squinting up that dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.**

**"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn't be."  
"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.**

"But obsessed aren't you Harry?" Remus asked

"I like Werewolves" Harry said defiantly

**"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."**

**They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.**

**"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself - I'm armed!"**

**And into the clearing came - was it a man, or a horse?**

"A centaur?" Lily asked

"Yup yuppety yup"

**To the waist, a men, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.**

**"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow.**

**"There's summat bad loose in this Forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."**

**"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.**

**"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"**

**"Erm-"**

"We learn enough thank you" Hermione sniffed

"God calm down" Draco muttered

**"A bit," said Hermione timidly.**

**"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid glancing up too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?**

At first harry glanced at Hermione and said "Always the innocent are the first victims" in a misty sort of voice

Hermione caught on and said "Mars is bright tonight" putting on a deep baritone kind of voice "Unusually bright"

"The forest hides many secrets" Harry replied and then he could no longer hold the façade, nor could Hermione, and they both burst into exuberant laughter whilst the others stared on in confusion

"He's finally truly lost it" Ron moaned "But this time he's dragged Hermione with him!"

"Calm down Weasel" Draco said "I'm sure they'll stop soon"

And stop they did, and they motioned for Draco to continue reading.

**Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upwards, then sighed again.  
"Always the innocent are the first victims " he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."**

"Ahah!" Yelled a triumphant James "I know what there up too" He smiled

"I think a few of us do" Moony muttered shaking his head and smiling.

**"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"  
"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."**

Everyone was now either smiling or chuckling, while Harry and Hermione seemed ready to break into hysterics again

**"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"**

**Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The Forest hides many secrets."**

The room began to laugh, finally figuring out what the two had been on about, but a few were wondering how they could remember the exact wordings of the Centaur

**A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and - bodied and wilder looking than Ronan.**

**"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"**

**"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"**

**"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? Only there's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?"**

**Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skywards.  
"Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.**

At this, Draco snorted, and Hermione couldn't control herself anymore.

**"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."**

**Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.**

**"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy star-gazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."**

"Ergh! Then why ask" Hermione muttered

"Wasting precious time he was" Lily added

"Mars is bright tonight" All of the Marauders chorused, then rolled around laughing.

**"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.**

**"Oh, a fair few ... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if I ever want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs ... they know things ... jus' don' let on much."**

**"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.  
"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin' like it before."**

**They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking over his shoulder. He had the nasty feeling they were being watched.**

"I bet Quirrell was watching us or something" Harry said

"Bloody psychotic stalkers" Hermione muttered

**He was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.  
"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"**

"Bad Dray, very bad Dray" Harry said shaking his finger at his friend.

**"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"  
They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.**

**"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.  
"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville ... It's our fault he's here in the first place."**

"I can feel the Love Harry" Draco said clutching his hand to his chest, "I really can"

"Ahh shut it Dray" Severus muttered

**The minutes dragged by. their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?**

**At last, a great crunching noise announced Hgrid's return. Malfoy, Neville and Fang were with him. Hagrid was funimg. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him for a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.**

James and the rest of the gang glared at Draco for making fun of one of their future Lions.

**"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups - Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot.**

"I'm going to have a word with Hagrid about how he treats some of the students around here" McGonagall muttered

"Now that's a little harsh don't you think Minerva?" Dumbles asked

"No I don't, even I have noticed that the way he treats some of the Slytherins is appalling, and he doesn't give them a chance because of Tom Riddle"

"She's right" Severus muttered "I've heard him threaten to let a couple of his creatures loose on the Slytherins before, he cannot treat them like that"

"Exactly, so when I get out of here I'm having words with him" McGonagall said with finality

**"I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we gotta get this done."  
So Harry set off into the heart of the Forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the Forest, Malfoy nervously getting closer to him, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick.**

**Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.**

**"Look -" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.**

"I burned my robes after that night, I had Potter germs on me" Draco laughed and read on

**Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.**

**It was a unicorn all right, and it was dead.**

Everyone held a quick moment of silence for the fallen unicorn, the girls crying silently at the fallen beauty of the Unicorn.

**Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly white on the dark leaves.**

The girls sniffled some more

**Harry had taken one step towards it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered ...**

**Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, it lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.**

**"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"**

Draco blushed, trying to make his scream sound manly but failing miserably

"Muahahahah!! It's still funny even after all these years" Harry yelled triumphantly as the occupants of the room minus Dumbles and McGonagall fell about in laughter

**Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted - so did Fang.**

"Courage the Cowardly Dog" Harry muttered

"Uh Harry?" Ron said "His name is Fang"

"Oh I know that, but there's this T.v show called Courage the Cowardly dog and I was just reminded of it that's all" Harry shrugged.

**The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry - unicorn blood was dribbling down its front.**

**It got to its feet and came swiftly towards him.**

**Then a pain pierced his head like he'd never felt before, it was as though his scar was on fire -half-blinded, he staggered backwards. **

"Stupid Voldemort" Severus muttered ignoring he flinches around the room. "Hurting my Harry"

**He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over him, charging at the figure.**

**The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. it took a minute or two to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blonde hair and a palomino body.**

**"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.  
"Yes - thank you - what was that?"**

"Wasn't it a bit obvious who it was?" Peter asked

"Not really, because at that point I didn't know that being in such close proximity with the bastard would put me in pain" Harry shrugged

"How can you be so calm about it?" Lily asked

"Because I'm used to him"

**The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. he looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar which stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.**

"How do the Centuar's know who you are?" James asked "I thought they didn't meddle in Human affairs"

"I guess I'm just special" Harry said with an innocence that made all the girls coo at him.

**"You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time -**

"Is it ever" Draco muttered

"It is for us" Sirius bragged

"But you have Animagus forms, and it's not like you could all stick together when you went in, Moony didn't have an animagus form" Harry pointed out.

"Who said that?" Remus asked

"Well I just assumed…" Harry muttered

"I can change into the wolf at will actually, but it's only on the full moon I need the potion because that's when the actual wolf mind tries to take over" Moony put in

"So there" Remus poked his tongue out at Harry when he scowled

**- especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way. My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Harry could clamber on to his back.**

**There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.**

**"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a man on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"**

**"Do you realise who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves the Forest, the better."**

**"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"**

"Silly Centaur, he should know that not even Firenze would go against his heritage even if he was being nice to a Human" Harry sighed

**Ronan pawed the ground nervously.  
"I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said, in his gloomy voice.**

**Bane kicked his legs in anger.  
"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our Forest!"**

"It's not your forest," Draco hissed

"It is actually" James said

"Yeah" Hermione continued "The Centaurs were placed in the forest to protect the school against any sort of attack, be it animal or human, so it is technically their forest" she finished.

"Yeah well, they don't need to be so mean about it" Draco muttered

**Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.**

**"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this Forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."**

"Hey" Draco suddenly asked, "Is this the guy who teaches Divination"

"Hmm" Harry and Hermione made small sounds of agreement

"You mean there's a Centaur teaching Divination?" Peter asked with disbelief

"Yup, Dumbles hired him, but then he was exiled from the Centaurs in the forest, so now he lives in the castle full time" Ron helpfully informed the past Marauders and Lily

"Oh" They muttered

**And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on as best he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.  
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.  
"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"**

"Tom hates how he looks" Harry laughed

"Does he?" Lily asked

"Yeah, but you know, really it's lucky for us he can actually have some control over Voldemort, because otherwise he would desiccate the entire world, but Tom's managed to keep his belief's firmly implanted in Voldemort's mind, so all he's working for, is the betterness of the wizarding world"

"Oh" the room said again.

**Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head bowed in case of low-hanging branches but did not answer Harry's questions.**

**They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn't want to talk to him any more. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.**

**"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"**

"**No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail-hair in Potions."  
"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."**

At this most of the rooms occupants shuddered horribly

**Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.  
"But, who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed for ever, death's better, isn't it?"  
"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else - something that will bring you back to full strength and power - something that will mean you can never die.**

**Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"  
"The Philosopher's Stone! Of course - the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who -"**

"Damn I was slow" Harry chuckled, shaking his head

"Yeah you were" Hermione said

**"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"**

**It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Harry's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."**

**"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"  
"Harry! Harry, are you all right?"**

**Hermione was running towards them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.  
"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."**

"How can you suddenly act so unfazed" Peter muttered, not receiving an answer

**"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."  
Harry slid off his back.**

**"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."**

**He turned and cantered back into the depths of the Forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.**

**Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake.**

Ron blushed and the room laughed.

**In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the Forest.  
Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.**

"The pace of doom" Hermione chuckled

"What?" Harry asked, bewildered

"That's what we call it," she giggled, "when you pace back and forth for hours ranting and raving, expecting us to listen, but shooting down any answers we provide. It's really quite amusing afterwards"

"That poor rug" Ron chuckled, "Dobby has to replace it at the end of every year"

"I'm not that bad" Harry insisted

"Yes Harry you are" Severus agreed "My rug has worn down over the past few months"

"Traitor" Harry muttered

**"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort ... and Voldemort's waiting in the Forest ... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich ..."**

**"Stop saying that name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.**

**Harry wasn't listening.**

"See" Hermione said, giggling louder

**"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done ... Bane was furious ... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen ... They must show that Voldemort's coming back ... Bane thinks firenze should have let Voldemort kill me ... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."**

**"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.**

**"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off ... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."**

**Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.  
"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."**

**The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. **

"They. What do you mean they? Harry ranted and raved for hours and we just sat there" Ron exclaimed

**They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.**

**When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his Invisibility Cloak folded neatly underneath them.**

**There was a note pinned to it:**

_**Just in case**_**.**

"Meddling bumble bee" Ron muttered

"Putting a hole in my cloak" James and Harry muttered murderously

"Bed time I think children" McGonagall said and began to usher everyone up and into their respective, cubicles.

"You as well Albus" she said

And so ended another day in the Room of Requirement.

* * *

Again. I know I am a total, lazy piece of rubbish when it comes to putting these up, but at least I have finally updated and I will get another chapter up tonight, hopefully, If not it will be tomorrow morning and the final chapter will also be posted tomorrow.

But I need your opinion on who I should remove/ add in for the next book, as I also intend to get that started pretty soon.

Again, Apologies but hopefully the final three chapters will be good enough

Crossfire.x


	18. Into the Proverbial Rabbit Hole

Ahah! Here is the promised second instalment of the night. I'm hoping that this is also good enough. And maybe if I do it fast enough I can get the final chapter up also. Read on my readers.

* * *

Morning for some inhabitants came quickly, whilst for other it came very slowly, however morning was inevitable and with it came breakfast and the second to last chapter of the book.

"So who's reading?"

"I will" Sirius volunteered from where he sat with a cup of coffee and a bagel in hand.

"Right so ahem…

_. __**Chapter 16. Through the Trapdoor**_**."**

**In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort** **to come bursting through the door at any moment. **

"I was not!" Harry exclaimed "That's bullshit"

"Language Harry" Lily admonished

"Sorry mum" Harry whispered

**Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.**

**It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.**

"Why was there never any type of room temperature charm used in those rooms?" James asked

"Do you know how hard it is to concentrate when being in there?" Peter added

"Do you know how many times I came close to fainting before I figured out the body temperature charm?" Moony asked

"Do you know that we're never going to perform up to standards in those classrooms because of said heat?" Harry put in

"Did you know, that your all sadist's making kids sit like that for hours?" Sirius finished

Dumbledore and McGonagall looked gobsmacked.

"We never thought of that" McGonagall admitted.

**They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk.**

**Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox—points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.**

"That's pure evil Snape!" Cried Sirius "I'm so glad we have Slughorn"

**Harry did the best he could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead, which had been bothering him ever since his trip into the forest.**

**Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves because Harry couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Harry kept being woken by his old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it.**

"Oh my poor baby" Lily cried "How could you let them go into that forest, you horrible old man!" she continued whilst hugging Harry to her chest

"You know Dumbles, I'm actually considering joining Voldemort" James said seriously

Dumbles looked furious but Sirius read on.

**Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Harry had seen in the forest, or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Harry. The idea of Voldemort**, **certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.**

**Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest.**

"Go on son. Have a laugh" James chuckled

**"That was far easier than I thought it would be,"** **said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."**

**Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill,**

"It's even worse after O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's trust me, these two" Peter broke off pointing at Lily and Moony, "Continuously brought up the questions they had and what they didn't and how much they studied and everything"

"Ouch, I feel for you" Ron said

**so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. **

**"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."**

"Again with the negativity" Moony sighed

"What is wrong with you kids?" Remus exclaimed

**Harry was rubbing his forehead.**

"It's really annoying that" Severus remarked

"What? Why?" Harry asked

"Because usually it means you've worked yourself into a frenzy over something, and have sent the feelings onto Voldemort and then he also has a headache so yours gets doubled" Severus finished "I worry about you a lot when that happens Harry" Severus whispered only to Harry and hugged him close to his side.

**"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting—it's happened before, but never as often as this."**

**"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.**

**"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming..."**

**Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.**

"Ergh!" James exclaimed

"I really hope he doesn't need to rely on you two in battle" Sirius said looking between Hermione and Ron

"What?!!? WHY?!" They shouted

"Well you Hermione are jealous that he's better than you, and therefore continuously strike him down, like yesterday when you said he was speaking to '_your dead mother Potter, so treasure this whilst you can' _So your just a jealous cow, and would probably turn on him if he knew more battle spells than you" Peter said

"And you Ron, do not care about his mental health, and have probably turned against him in the past for nothing other than jealousy also, and you ignore his warnings when he thinks something dire is going to come and say it's too hot to be worrying, which is basically pathetic" Sirius said.

Hermione and Ron looked ashamed.

**"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."**

"Well, that's of course not taking into account weather he gets drunk or not" Ron said reasonably.

Everyone in the room nodded at Ron's sudden logic

**Harry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. When he tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."**

"And again, it's obviously bloody important if his curse scar is hurting!" James exclaimed

**Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. He watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent him letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... never... but—**

**Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.**

"You figured it out!" Lily smiled and hugged her son

"Well I figured part of it out" Harry said embarrassed.

**"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.**

**"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."**

**"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.**

**"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"**

"Because it wasn't as obvious at that point" Hermione remarked.

**"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.**

**Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.**

**"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"**

**"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.**

**"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"**

**"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."**

McGonagall groaned "We really need to keep him off of the Alcohol"

"Duly noted" Dumbles agreed.

**He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.**

**"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head—that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."**

Severus groaned "We should make a new rule for Hagrid, No going down to the village for recreational purposes without some kind of escort"

"That's quite a good idea" James said

"Yeah then at least we know he would be safe" McGonagall said

"And not giving out valuable information" Harry added

**Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas. **

**"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"**

**"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks...**

**Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."**

**"And did he—did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice calm.**

"Of course he was interested in the dog Ry" Draco exclaimed.

**"Well—yeah—how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep—"**

"Oh shit" Sirius said

"Seconded" Moony added

"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Peter ground out

"Yeah, I mean he knows they've been after the information the whole year" Severus said

"And he knew that they knew what Fluffy was guarding" Lily said

"I mean, he even told then who had done the enchantments!" James exclaimed

"Stupid, stupid, stupid" Remus finished

**Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.**

**"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey—where're yeh goin'?"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.**

**"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak—it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us.**

"I would have believed you Harry" Dumbles said

"Of course you would have, because you knew what was going on the whole time" Harry ground out

The room looked horrified and Harry smirked "What Dumbles, did you forget to mention to you staff that you knew someone was going to be coming after the stone? Did you forget to mention how you knew Voldemort was residing in the school? I'll bet you did, because that way they wouldn't know what an utterly sick and twisted old man you are" Harry finished bitterly

**Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"**

**They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.**

**"We'll just have to—" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.**

**"What are you three doing inside?"**

**It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.**

**"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Harry and Ron thought.**

"My Gryffindor side" Hermione smiled at the thought

**"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do.** **"Why?"**

**Harry swallowed—now what?**

**"It's sort of secret," he said, but he wished at once he hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.**

"It's all secrets and lies, SECRETS AND LIES" McGonagall bellowed.

She calmed down and added "I don't like secrets"

"Figured" James muttered

**"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."**

**"He's **_**gone**_**?" said Harry frantically. "**_**Now?**_**"**

**"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time—"**

"I thank you Minerva, only you could make me blush like this" Dumbles said

"Screw off old man" McGonagall shot back and smirked at the look on Dumbles' face.

**"But this is important."**

**"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"**

**"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds,** **"Professor—it's about the Sorcerer's Stone—"**

"I think we nearly killed her when we said that" Harry laughed

"Well she was appropriately shocked" Ron agreed

**Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.**

**"How do you know—?" she spluttered.**

**"Professor, I think—I **_**know—**_**that Sn— that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."**

**She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.**

**"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."**

"I am the great Harry Potte, hadn't you figured that out by then, honestly" Harry laughed

"Yeah, even I know to listen to harry when he has a gut feeling about something" Remus laughed.

**"But Professor—"**

**"Potter, I know what I'm talking about,"**

"Well, not that you didn't" James said.

"Thank you for pointing that fact out Mister. Potter"

"Yes well, it's the truth, and if you going to punish me for that then I shall, prank you" James said.

McGonagall looked quite scared actually.

**she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."**

**But they didn't.**

**"It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."**

**"But what can we—"**

**Hermione gasped. Harry and Ron wheeled round.**

**Snape was standing there.**

**"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.**

"Stalker" Moony coughed

**They stared at him.**

**"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.**

"Maybe we had spent too long outside and wanted to cool down in the entrance hall" Hermione said innocently.

Harry and Ron cracked up whilst the others merely smiled.

**"We were—" Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say.**

**"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"**

**Harry flushed. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.**

**"Be warned, Potter—any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."**

"Greasy git" Sirius muttered "Threatening our Harry"

"We'll get him Sirius" James whispered so he could be sure Harry didn't hear him, but from the glare he got off of Remus someone heard him.

**He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.**

**Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others.**

**"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape—wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."**

"Why mee!" Hermione moaned

"You'll find out" Sirius snickered.

**"Why me?"**

**"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen **_**b**_** wrong...'"**

**"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape.**

**"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron. "Come on."**

"We are the Super Duo, nothing can get through us" Ron and Harry bellowed then started to laugh

**But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.**

**"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed.**

"Why yes Professor, I do" Harry smirked

**"Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"**

**Harry and Ron went back to the common room. Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in.**

**"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."**

**"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.**

**The other two stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.**

**"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."**

"WHAT?!" James and Lily Screamed.

"Oh no you are not mister" Sirius said

"And we mean that, set one foot near that trapdoor and we will ground you" James said

"Forever" Moony added

"Until you die" Remus said

"This is the past" harry said

**"You're mad!" said Ron.**

**"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"**

"I think Voldemort is a bit more scary than being expelled don't you Hermione?" Ron asked

"Well Voldemort wasn't exactly, a totally real possibility then was he?" Hermione sniffed

"Of course he was" James said

"Have you not been listening to Harry?" Severus asked

"I didn't really care to listen to stupid little boys back then"

"Yeah well you should have"

**"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts!**

"Dark Art's school is more likely" Harry said

"Why?" Peter asked

"Because both Voldemort and Tom were themselves here, they didn't have the hide the fact they could do magic, they were in essence free to do what they wanted"

"So, he wouldn't destroy the only home he ever really knew and loved?" James asked

"Nope"

**Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort** **to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort** **killed my parents, remember?"**

"Voldemort killed a lot of people" Remus said

**He glared at them.**

**"You're right Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.**

**"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."**

Dumbles puffed out his chest from where he sat in his corner but no one paid him any attention

**"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.**

**"All—all three of us?"**

**"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"**

"Well maybe you two are useful" Sirius muttered.

**"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books, there might be something useful..."**

**"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."**

"After that speech I don't remember caring whether I got expelled or not" Ron said

"Nor me" Hermione added

"Stupid Gryffindor tendencies" Severus and Draco muttered

**"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."**

"112? 112?!" Draco exclaimed "No fucking way"

"What?" Everyone asked

"She bested me by a point, one bloody point! That just fucking sucks"

"Well I got 115" Lily smiled

"Congrats Mum" Harry smiled and hugged his mother whilst Hermione sat there gobsmacked.

**After dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry any more, after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset by it. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Harry and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do.**

**Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.**

**"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory. He pulled out the cloak and then his eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas. He pocketed it to use on Fluffy—he didn't feel much like singing.**

"Why, if you have a voice like mine, then you're an amazing singer" Lily gushed

"Umm yeah I've been told, I even know how to play guitar" Harry smiled

"Oh really? So did I"

"I know, I found your old acoustic in the attic at Privet drive when I was 12, I've been learning ever since"

Lily squealed before she settled down and let Sirius continue reading

**He ran back down to the common room.**

**"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us—if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own—"**

**"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.**

**"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.**

**Neville stared at their guilty faces.**

**"You're going out again," he said.**

**"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"**

"Oh yeah, because that's going to work against him" James snorted

"Well it might have" Hermione defended

"Yes because three guilty looking teens stood in a common room fully clothed, whilst everyone else is in bed, not in the least bit suspicious" Peter smirked

harry and Ron laughed at how flustered Hermione was getting.

"Yes well you didn't have a world to save" Hermione finally retorted

"Actually I do, and at least I'm part of the cause that's trying to save the world" Peter smirked.

**Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.**

**"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."**

**"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."**

"Yes important, more important than house points" Lily said

"Yes, yes, yes, more important than that, read Sirius" James said.

**But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.**

"This is why Neville was in Gryffindor people" Ron said out loud

"**I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll—I'll fight you!"**

**"**_**Neville**_**, "Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot—"**

**"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"**

"I didn't mean us though" Ron cried "I meant against the people who picked on him"

"And you've just picked on him, what do you want him to do Ron?" Remus asked.

"Get away from the portrait hole"

**"Yes, but not to **_**us**_**," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."**

**He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.**

**"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"**

**Harry turned to Hermione.**

**"**_**Do something**_**," he said desperately.**

**Hermione stepped forward.**

**"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."**

"Oh she isn't" Moony laughed

"Oh she is" Sirius laughed and read on

**She raised her wand.**

**"**_**Petrificus Totalus!**_**" she cried, pointing it at Neville.**

**Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.**

"Yey for Hermione" Ron said and hugged the girl who blushed

"Why did you attack him?" Lily asked

"You could have just pretended to go back to bed or something, well" Peter pondered "I guess you couldn't have but there was no need to do that to him"

"We had to go" Hermione said.

**Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror. **

**"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.**

**"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."**

**"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.**

**"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak.**

**But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. **

**At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.**

"We should have kicked her and relieved some stress" Ron said randomly

"It wouldn't have done much for my stress" Hermione commented.

"Yeah well, it would have done something, made us relax a little bit" Harry said.

**"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp-like eyes on them, but didn't do anything.**

**They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves** **was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.**

**"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"**

"I love his rhymes" James sighed

"I don't" Harry growled

**He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.**

**"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."**

**Harry had a sudden idea.**

"I always come up with good idea's under pressure" Harry laughed

"It's a pity then that you can't perform well in my class whilst being under pressure" Severus purred

"Yes well, I've explained my reasons for that haven't I?" Harry questioned.

**"Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."**

The Marauders laughed "He won't fall for that" Sirius said

"No way" James said

"Even he's got to recognise the Baron's voice" Moony said

**Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.** **"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake—I didn't see you—of course I didn't, you're invisible—forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."**

"What?" Peter yelled "How the hell. What? That goes against any beliefs I had about getting away from Peeves"

**"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."**

**"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." **

**And he scooted off**

**"**_**Brilliant**_**, Harry!" whispered Ron.**

"Why of course, it's a pleasure to serve for your amusement" Harry laughed.

**A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor—and the door was already ajar.**

**"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."**

Severus: I did not!

Harry: WE KNOW! SHUT UP AND READ!

**Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other two.**

**"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."**

**"Don't be stupid," said Ron.**

**"We're coming," said Hermione.**

**Harry pushed the door open.**

**As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.**

**"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.**

**"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."**

"A harp? Honestly you came across that and you still thought it was me?" Severus asked shocked

"Yes well, ahem, how were we supposed to know Moldy-Voldy liked harp music?" Harry asked.

"But a Harp? Honestly Harry" Severus muttered shaking his head.

**"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes..."**

**He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased—it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.**

**"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. **

"I still remember that stench, I bet that room still stinks of it" Hermione pulled a face

"Ew" James and Lily said.

**"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"**

**"No, I don't!"**

"Coward!" Sirius yelled

"Not really, I just didn't want to go first" she sniffed.

**"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.**

**"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.**

**"Nothing—just black—there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."**

**Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.**

**"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."**

**Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep.**

"Yey" someone whispered

**Harry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.**

**He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Ron and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"**

**"Right," said Ron.**

**"See you in a minute, I hope..."**

**And Harry let go. Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down, down and— **

**FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant. **

"Sprout, oh god!" Lily moaned "I know what she keeps in those Greenhouses, I bet this thing is something evil"

"Love calm down" James said and tucked her to his side.

**"It's okay!" he called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"**

"Soft landing, yeah soft alright, so soft you can't even feel what's happening to you" Harry exclaimed.

"Excuse me" Lily said suddenly alert

**Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Harry.**

**"What's this stuff?" were his first words.**

"Always the same mundane questions" Harry muttered

**"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall.** **Come on, Hermione!"**

"How can you not know?" Remus asked annoyed "Do you not pay attention in Herbology?"

"Erm, Neville helps us with most of it" Ron admitted

"Ergh!" Moony said.

**The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Harry's other side.**

**"We must be miles under the school," she said.**

"About 2 miles actually" Severus said.

**"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.**

**"**_**Lucky!**_**" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"**

**She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles.**

**As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.**

"How can you not notice, you stupid boy!" Severus yelled rounding on Harry "You always pay attention to your surroundings"

"Not when I was eleven then obviously" Harry snarled and tried to move away but Severus grabbed him

"I don't want to lose you" he whispered in Harry's ear

**Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.**

**"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is—it's Devil's Snare!"**

"See, good old Hermione" Ron smiled

**"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck. **

**"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.**

**"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.**

**"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say?—it likes the dark and the damp—"**

**"So light a fire!" Harry choked.**

"Choked, oh my baby is choking you better help him soon Hermione or I will hurt you" Lily muttered murderously

**"Yes—of course—but there's no wood!"** **Hermione cried, wringing her hands.**

"Have you lost your mind?" Sirius asked appalled

"YOU'RE A WITCH" Sirius, James, Lily, Moony, Remus, Draco and Peter all shouted out.

"You know, I think I've heard that before" Harry said once again rubbing his chin

**"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"**

"Ah there it is" Harry smiled

**"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape **

**at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth.**

**Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.**

"Yey for Hermione!"

**"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.**

"Indeed it is" Severus muttered

**"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis—'there's no wood,' honestly."**

"Well it's hard when in those positions of extreme stress" Hermione said

"Yeah but Harry was collected enough to suggest a fire" James pointed out.

**"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.**

**All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and Harry was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, he remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon—Norbert had been bad enough...**

"Well at least he's scared of something I suppose" Draco muttered

"That's not a good thing you know" harry sniped

"Sometimes it can be" Draco shot back.

**"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.**

**Harry listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.**

**"Do you think it's a ghost?"**

**"I don't know... sounds like wings to me."**

**"There's light ahead—I can see something moving."**

**They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.**

"Professor Flitwick!" Lily gushed

"I liked this one" Ron smiled

**"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.**

**"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll run."**

**He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. **

"Oh no" Moony said

"Here it comes" Peter added

"Oh shut up" Harry said laughing

**He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. **

"Phew" everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief

**He pulled the handle, but it was locked.**

"Well obviously" Severus snorted

"It's not that easy Harry" McGonagall said.

**The other two followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.**

**"Now what?" said Ron.**

**"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.**

"Well, at least one of you figured it out"

**They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering—**_**glittering**_ **"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're **_**keys**_**! Winged keys—look carefully. So that must mean..." he looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "... yes—look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"**

**"But there are **_**hundreds**_** of them!"**

**Ron examined the lock on the door.**

**"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one—probably silver, like the handle."**

"Yey for Ron!"

"How did you figure that out?" asked a mystified Sirius

"I knew we should have made the key look opposite to the door" McGonagall muttered

"Alas Minerva, the job is done now"

"Shut it Dumbles" someone said.

**They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.**

**Not for nothing, though, was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century. He had a knack for spotting things other people didn't.**

"Yes he certainly does" Ron laughed

**After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, he noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.**

**"That one!" he called to the others. "That big one—there—no, there—with bright blue wings—the feathers are all crumpled on one side."**

**Ron went speeding in the direction that Harry was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.**

Draco snickers while Ron turns red.

"How you got onto the Quidditch team really is an amazement to me Weasley" Draco commented

**"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above—Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"**

**Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, -**

"I thought Hermione couldn't fly?" Peter said

"I can't" Hermione mumbled "Not very well anyway"

"Moving on" Sirius said

**- the key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.'**

"Go Harry, Go Harry!"

"You did it" Lily squealed

"Onto the next chamber then" James suggested

**They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned—it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.**

**"Ready?" Harry asked the other two, his hand on the door handle. They nodded. He pulled the door open.**

**The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.**

**They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly—the towering white chessmen had no faces.**

"Whey, a chess set" James said unenthusiastically

"I'll have you know that, that chess set took ages to set up" Minerva sniffed

"Yeah, and I bet Ron gets past it doesn't he?" Remus asked

"Maybe he does" Minerva said.

**"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.**

**"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."**

**Behind the white pieces they could see another door.**

**"How?" said Hermione nervously.**

**"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."**

"Doesn't exactly take a genius too figure it out though" Draco commented

"Well no, but they obviously weren't clued in to what was happening" Ron stated

"Hey" Harry and Hermione called indignant

"We did so"

**He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.**

**"Do we—er—have to join you to get across?" **

**The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.**

**"This needs thinking about he said. I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces..."**

**Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess—"**

**"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."**

**"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle."**

**"What about you?"**

**"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.**

"A knight? Sure you don't have your own type of hero complex Ron?" Harry teased

"Shut up Harry, just let Sirius read, we have to be near the end of the book now" Ron said

**The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that Harry, Ron, and Hermione took.**

**"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes... look..."**

**A white pawn had moved forward two squares.**

**Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry's knees were trembling. What if they lost?**

"I was in charge! Why would we have lost?" Ron asked

"Because we were Eleven!" Harry exclaimed

"Yeah but don't doubt my skills okay" Ron complained

**"Harry—move diagonally four squares to the right." **

"Yes master. Whatever you say master" Harry deadpanned

**Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.**

"Oh dear god" James moaned

"Why couldn't you have just listened to then?" Lily asked

"Honestly three Eleven year olds come up to you saying they know all of this shit and you ignore them?!" Moony exclaimed

"Well how was I supposed to know really?" McGonagall asked "They were eleven after all"

"Yes and three of the most inquisitive eleven year olds I've ever come across" Severus stated "You should have listened to them"

And finally Minerva McGonagall looked ashamed of her actions.

**"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."**

**Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.**

"You did of course, end up realising it was me you were playing against ?"

"Umm, yes actually, when I heard Percy later on, he said 'Got past McGonagall's chess set' I figured then I must have been against a real player"

"Hang on" Sirius said "If he was playing against you, how did you not realise they were telling the truth and that someone was in the goddamn chamber!"

"Oh dear lord" McGonagall looked extremely upset "I am so sorry Mr. Weasley"

"S'ok Professor" Ron muttered

**"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think let me think..."**

**The white queen turned her blank face toward him.**

**"Yes..." said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."**

"You didn't Peter whispered

**"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted.**

"You did!" Peter said "Oh Ron what were you bloody thinking"

"I am not replying as I think the book can say it for me" Ron replied

**"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! **

"Yes but still, how high up was that chess piece? And your about to be sacrificed?!"

"I was doing the right thing"

"You were doing a bloody stupid thing"

"But yet we stilled stopped Voldemort, or what we perceived to the someone hell bent on pureblood fanatic who wants to rule the wizarding world"

**I take one step forward and she'll take me—that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"**

**"But—"**

**"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"**

"It depend on what Severus is doing as to whether or not I want to stop him" Harry smirked

"Eww Harry!" Draco shouted covering his ears

"Harry I love you, but don't ever mention that type of thing in the same sentence ever again" James said looking faint.

"Ditto on that one Prongs Junior" Sirius said.

**"Ron—"**

**"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"**

**There was no alternative.**

**"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go—now, don't hang around once you've won."**

"What? Don't hang around? But what if your hurt? God you stupid boy" Lily raged

"Lily? I'm right here"

"You stupid boy" Lily muttered but went over and gave the boy a big hug to show her appreciation for how brave he was.

**He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm,**

"Shit" Sirius whistled

"Do you know how much that hurt?" Ron complained rubbing his head

"Ron you rock" Moony said

"Yeah totally" James agreed

Ron turned red and buries his head in his hands.

**and he crashed to the floor—Hermione screamed but stayed on her square—the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out. **

"Well I was unconscious but that's all I remember" Ron laughed

"Well what else would you expect" Draco sniffed "Nice bit of chess Weasley" he commented

"Thanks Malfoy"

**Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.**

**The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. **

"Yey! They won" Remus jumped around like a lunatic

"But they still have a couple of chambers to go Remy" James pointed out

"Aw crap" Remus pouted

"Don't ruin my good mood" Moony said laughing

**The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.**

**"What if he's—?"**

**"He'll be all right," said Harry, trying to convince himself. "What do you reckon's next?"**

**"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."**

"Aww what evil has Snape got cooked up his sleeve" Moony sighed

"It better not be something hard" Lily warned "Because I will attack you if it is"

"I believe they managed to figure it out" Severus sighed

**They had reached another door.**

**"All right?" Harry whispered**

**"Go on."**

**Harry pushed it open.**

**A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.**

"Woah!" Peter breathed

"Someone knocked out a fully grown Troll?" James asked

"Well obviously" Moony said

"But who was it?" Remus asked

"Why don't we read and find out" Draco suggested

"Her hear, there might be a smart Malfoy among us yet" James cheered

**"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."**

**He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next—but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.**

**"Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?"**

"This was a very smart puzzle love, very cool use of logic" Harry commented

"So it was Hermione that figured it out then?" Severus asked amused

"Yes" Harry muttered.

**They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.**

**"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read it:**

_**Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,**_

_**Two of us will help you, which ever you would find,**_

_**One among us seven will let you move ahead,**_

_**Another will transport the drinker back instead,**_

_**Two among our number hold only nettle wine,**_

_**Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.**_

_**Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,**_

_**To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:**_

_**First, however slyly the poison tries to hide**_

_**You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;**_

_**Second, different are those who stand at either end,**_

_**But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;**_

_**Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,**_

_**Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;**_

_**Fourth, the second left and the second on the right**_

_**Are twins once you taste them, though different at firstsight.**_

"Dramatic much Snape?" Remus asked

"Yes well, I thought you had sussed that part out, it comes with being gay I think" Severus shrugged

"Yes I do suppose it does"

"Can I continue now?" Sirius asked before not waiting for an answer and just beginning

**Hermione let out a great sigh and Harry, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing.**

**"**_**Brilliant**_**," said Hermione. "This isn't magic—it's logic—a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."**

"See my dramtics leave the way for a lot of Wizards to fail!" Severus cackled

"Yes well, we got through though didn't we?" Hermione asked with a snotty voice.

"Yes but your not exactly a great Wizard now are you, unless there is something your not telling us Miss. Granger" Severus smirked

"I assure you professor I am all woman"

"Ah well that's good to know I suppose" Harry commented "Can we get on with it now, I want some food after this chapter"

"mm Food" was the response from the rest of the room.

**"But so will we, won't we?" **

"You're a bit of a mood bringer downer aren't you Harry?" Remus asked

"Nah I'm just realistic" Harry shrugged

**"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."**

**"But how do we know which to drink?"**

"You need to figure it out" Moony sighed

**"Give me a minute."**

**Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.**

**"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire—toward the Stone."**

"Correct" Severus nodded his approval

**Harry looked at the tiny bottle.**

**"There's only enough there for one of us," he said. "That's hardly one swallow."**

**They looked at each other.**

**"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"**

**Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.**

"We are never going to hear the end of this are we" Harry said to Ron as they watched Hermione sort of glow and swell up

"Nope" replied Ron shaking his head.

**"You drink that," said Harry. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy—go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."**

"That was of course, true at that point in time Mr. Potter" Severus muttered

"Yes well, we hold weekly duel Severus, I think I've learned a bit by now don't you?" Harry asked innocently

"Yes you certainly have you little brat" Severus smiled and pulled Harry in for a kiss.

**"But Harry—what if You-Know-Who's with him?"**

**"Well—I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar. "I might get lucky again."**

"Welcome to my life" Harry sighed

**Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.**

**"**_**Hermione!**_**"**

**"Harry—you're a great wizard, you know."**

**"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.**

**"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things—friendship and bravery and—oh Harry—be **_**careful**_**!"**

"Never knew you cared so much for him Hermione" Draco laughed

"Well of course I do, he's my best friend" she defended herself

"Uh huh" Draco nodded "Keep telling yourself that Granger"

**"You drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"**

**"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.**

**"It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously.**

**"No—but it's like ice."**

**"Quick, go, before it wears off."**

**"Good luck—take care."**

**"GO!"**

**Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.**

**Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames.**

**"Here I come," he said, and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.**

"It was so cold, I felt like I'd never get that feeling out of my body" Harry shivered

"I'm Sorry" Severus whispered

**It was indeed as though ice was flooding his body. He put the bottle down and walked forward; he braced himself, saw the black flames licking his body, but couldn't feel them—for a moment he could see nothing but dark fire—then he was on the other side, in the last chamber.**

**There was already someone there—but it wasn't Snape.**

**It wasn't even Voldemort.**

"Well then?"

"Why did you stop?"

"Padfoot carry on now!"

"I can't that's the end of the chapter" Sirius admitted

"Right then" Harry said "Food"

And here we are. Two chapter, just as I promised :D

I feel very proud of myself.


	19. And it comes to an end

**A/N: Yes I suck, I think we established that when I first put this story up =/**

**But, Here It Is, THE FINAL CHAPTERR, oh yeah :)**

**Cheer for me, anyway, on with it, oh but, I'm also going to be doing this whole series, so look out for the second book soon, and just to let you know I'm taking out Dumbles and McGonagall maybe Hermione as well. **

**Onwardss. **

"So, who's reading?" Harry asked cheerfully

"I will" Hermione offered

Sirius tossed the book over and Hermione settled again into her favourite reading position

"**The Man With Two Faces,"** Hermione read.

"What does that mean?" Sirius asked.

"No idea, but it can't be good," Remus said.

"Seconded my good man" James said

**It was Quirrell.**

"WHAT?" Peter asked

"Well, you knew it wasn't Severus" Harry commented

"Yeah, but, Quirrell" Moony said, aghast at the turn of events

"Just read" Lily muttered forcefully.

"**You!" gasped Harry.**

**Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.**

"**Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."**

"Cocky bastard" Harry muttered

"**But I thought — Snape —"**

"**Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"**

"Well the guy's a git, but he has Snape pegged," Sirius said.

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed

"Well it's true Harry" Sirius whined

"No Sirius, it isn't" Harry glared.

**Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.**

"**But Snape tried to kill me!"**

"No I fucking didn't!" Severus shouted

"Severus Tobias Snape!" Lily exploded "My son has apologised for thinking it was you, you are also now dating him, get over his past and look towards the now and the future otherwise I will hurt you" She finished calmly.

"Go Lily-Flower" James muttered.

"**No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you."**

"See, I found out the truth love" Harry muttered rubbing soothing circles into Severus' back.

"**Snape was trying to save me?"**

Anyone who was looking could see Severus' shoulders shaking even as he nodded his head along to Book Harry's statement.

"**Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. **

**All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."**

Lily gasped in horror, before Harry hugged her then pointed to himself and gave her the thumbs up. Lily laughed and hugged him back, nodding for Hermione to continue reading.

**Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry.**

"**You're too nosy to live, Potter."**

"Hah! Don't we know it" Ron laughed and releasing some of the tension in the room

"Yeah, you little brat" Severus said affectionately

"I could only imagine the trouble you got into in the later years" James laughed

"Well we won't have to wait long to find out will we?" Remus chuckled "This is the last chapter and all the other books are right there" he motioned, pointing towards the table

Everyone's eyes grew slightly, Harry's in annoyance. The past people and Remus in excitement and wonder at being able to find out more about their Harry, and everyone else in passive questioning, knowing most of the story.

**Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."**

"**You let the troll in?"**

"P-duh little Prongslet" Peter laughed

"**Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls — you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? **

**Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off — and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.**

"**Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."**

"Oh" Remus exclaimed "That's were he put it"

"Eh? What Mirror, who put it there? Moony? Tell me!" Sirius begged, too impatient to wait and find out.

"You'll see" was the only thing that Moony would say.

**It was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised.**

"**This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he's in London… I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"**

**All Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.**

"Good thinking, stall him, Cub." Remus encouraged

"**I saw you and Snape in the forest —" he blurted out.**

"Oh not like that!" Moony moaned

"Huh? Why not?" James asked bewildered

"He's admitting to spying on a guy who's trying to kill him" Remus input

"Oh! Bad idea harry, very bad idea" James scolded

"Meh. I'm still alive" Harry shrugged

"**Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me — as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"**

"You mean he was in the school?" Draco spoke up at last

"Oh yeah, for the whole year, isn't that right Dumbles?" Harry sniped

Everyone looked furious.

"You mean you fucking knew _he _was IN YOUR SCHOOL" Sirius hissed

"You let me continue interrogating him, when the _thing_ I'm supposed to work for was right there with Quirrell!" Severus spat "No wonder he was about to kill me when I turned up!"

"You let... the children... Albus..." McGonagall was completely lost for words as she stared at the man who used to be her best friend.

"It was for the best" Albus muttered gravely

"WHAT?" this time, everyone exploded at him

"It was, for the best, that Moldy was left to run around the school?" Harry asked astounded that even Dumbles could go to this level.

"The students!" Remus shouted

"There are over five hundred during term time!" Lily added

"You make me sick" Ron spat "Hermione.. just read"

Hermione looked back at the book, but they could tell she was angry, they just didn't know who at.

**Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.**

"**I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it?"**

"Hmm," Remus said thoughtfully. "I think I understand. That's rather an impressive idea."

"What?" James muttered "How can it be impressive, it's a mirror"

"Hush, we'll find out, won't we?" Lily said directing the last part of the sentence to her son.

"Yeah, couple of minutes" Harry said

**Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.**

"**But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."**

"That was our fault" the Marauders looked shamed

"Also mine, I didn't have to react the way I did" Severus whispered but the whole room heard

"Truce?" James asked holding out his hand

"Sure" Severus shook with James and everything seemed to look up somehow.

"**Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."**

"**But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing — I thought Snape was threatening you…"**

"Well, I like to think I'm good enough to reduce a grown man to tears" Severus smirked

**For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.**

"**Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions — he is a great wizard and I am weak —"**

"**You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped.**

"**He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly.**

"Oh dear Dumbles, missed that little trick did you?" Draco asked sarcastically

"Of course not, I know everything" Dumbles sneered

Everyone just glared at him with hate in their eyes

"I'm joining Voldemort" James whispered in Peter's ear. He looked shocked for a moment but quickly nodded his head, muttering about setting up a meeting once they got back.

**"I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it… **

"What a load of crap," Sirius scoffed.

"But it's not" Harry whispered tortured "Magic is power, even Light spells can be used for dark purposes, just like Dark magic can be used for light. Like Blood Magic can be used to heal, and if you levitated someone, you could drop them, if it was high enough they'd die, it's just a circle" Harry finished

And everyone looked impressed.

**Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"**

"I would still like to know how he managed that. Moldy wasn't even on his head then" Harry said.

"Seriously?" Ron asked

Harry just nodded

"Wicked" Sirius said, before he was glared at " I don't meant the fact he was looking to steal something, something that would bring total evil back, I mean the fact he got in and got out, without dying and without being caught, that's pretty cool you have to admit" The rest just nodded.

**Quirrell's voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley — how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.**

**Quirrell cursed under his breath.**

"Don't curse in front of my boy," Lily reprimanded.

"Mum really" Harry exclaimed

"You were only Eleven then Harry" James reminded him

"Yeah but.. oh fine" Harry pouted.

"**I don't understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"**

**Harry's mind was racing.**

**What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?**

"Don't even try, it wont help you," Remus said.

"Hush, you know nothing Wolf-Man" Harry sang cheerfully

"I know your ticklish most on your ribs" Remus warned before pouncing onto his God-Cub

"Mercy! Mercy" Harry begged laughing.

Remus acquiesced to the request and released Harry, who ran to hide behind Severus, crouching slightly.

Hermione just rolled her eyes and continued

**He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself.**

"**What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"**

**And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.**

"**Use the boy… Use the boy…"**

Everyone jumped at the horrid whispering snarl that Hermione put on and begged her not to do that ever again. Again she just rolled her eyes and read on

**Quirrell rounded on Harry.**

"**Yes — Potter — come here."**

**He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet.**

"Ohh wandless magic" Sirius cheered

"**Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."**

**Harry walked toward him.**

**I must lie, he thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.**

"That wont work if Voldemort's there, he a Legilimens, he'll know," Severus muttered hugging Harry close to him.

"Hey, I got out, I'm perfectly fine" Harry protested looking at all of the gloomy faces.

**Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. **

Remus gasped at this but nobody noticed, too engrossed in what was going on.

**He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.**

**He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket — and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow — incredibly —he'd gotten the Stone.**

"What, how did that work?" Sirius question but nobody answered, someone did hush him though.

"**Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"**

**Harry screwed up his courage.**

"**I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I — I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."**

"That's a believable lie," James said.

"Yeah, considering how far behind on points you Gryffs were" Draco cackled

**Quirrell cursed again.**

"At least he believed me" Harry said smartly

"it's not him you needed to worry about though" Ron answered back

Harry just stuck his tongue out.

"**Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Philosopher's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it?**

**But he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.**

"**He lies… He lies…"**

"Ergh, stupid Moldy, always ruins things" Hermione exclaimed

"Like lives" Moony said

"And everyone's fun" Sirius said

"And family parties" James added

"And anniversary's" Severus exclaimed sourly "Stupid bastard"

"Huh?" Lily asked

"It was our anniversary last week, Sev got called" Harry muttered and he looked very forlorn.

"Awwh" Lily hugged her son

"**Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"**

**The high voice spoke again.**

"**Let me speak to him… face-to-face…"**

"**Master, you are not strong enough!"**

"**I have strength enough… for this…"**

"Ergh! This part was disgusting" Harry muttered pulling a face.

"Why what happens?" James asked, grabbing the edge of his seat due to the tension.

"You'll find out"

**Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.**

**Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.**

"That is disgusting," Sirius said, looking a little green at the description

"He's on the back of his head," Lily said shocked.

"Yup"

"**Harry Potter…" it whispered.**

**Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.**

"**See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds… **

"Why would you want that thing near you?" Draco shuddered

"Some people just can't help themselves" James said.

**Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest… and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"**

**So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backward.**

Hermione smiled sadly at that, that was so Harry, he always find his courage in the worst possible situations.

"**Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me…**

"Yes yes, I know that now" Harry sighed

Was it coincidence that the only one who looked shocked was Hermione?

**or you'll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy…"**

"Even I don't believe that" James scoffed "As if I would let him take me down without a fight"

"**LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.**

"Good on ya Pup!" Sirius yelled

**Quirrell was walking backward at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.**

"**How touching…" it hissed. "I always value bravery… Yes, boy, your parents were brave… I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you… **

Lily was now tearing up and James was holding her tightly. So she had died for her son, if she had to go, she supposed that was the best way.

**Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."**

"**NEVER!"**

**Harry sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!" and the next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two;**

"What!"

"What did that monster do to you?" James said in outrage

"Just..wait Dad, please"

"**he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. **

"Why? What? But you had your back turned!" Lily stumbled over her words, her fear over-riding her common sense.

"I know, coward" Harry scoffed

"But you, seemed pretty helpless" James muttered

"I'm magic" Harry whispered and it had the immediate effect of everyone cheering up

**The pain in his head lessened — he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers — they were blistering before his eyes.**

"Umm, ew much?" Draco commented.

"I've seen blistered skin, really not pretty" Ron shuddered.

"Suck it up" Lily snapped

"Keep reading please, Hermione" James asked politely.

"**Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck — Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.**

"There's far too many questions in this chapter" Peter muttered rubbing the back of his head.

"I know, I hope they get answered soon" Moony complained.

Most people nodded in agreement.

Sirius was being particularly quiet at this point, but he was to worried to talk, and the part about Lily and James… well it put him in a bad mood to say the least.

"**Master, I cannot hold him — my hands — my hands!"**

**And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms — Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.**

"**Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.**

**Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face —**

"How is that instinct?" Ron suddenly asked making everyone jump.

"Weasley!" Draco snapped

"What? It's an honest question" Ron protested

"But at that point in the story come on" Remus said

"But how is that instinct? Honestly, instinct is running away or grabbing the arm, or kicking someone, not rushing up to their face!" Ron shouted, waving his arms around.

"Oh" Everyone muttered

"**AAAARGH!"**

**Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.**

"You get him Harry!"

**Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off — the pain in Harry's head was building — he couldn't see — he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry! Harry!"**

**He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down… down… down…**

Everyone just, fell silent.

**Something gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch! He tried to catch it, but his arms were too heavy.**

"Excuse me?" James muttered

**He blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange.**

**He blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above him.**

"Oh thank Merlin, he must be safe now," Lily sighed in relief.

"Safe? In Hogwarts, come now Lily" Sirius smirked

"Yeah. Do you know how many incidents and accidents can happen in this school?" Peter continued

"**Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore.**

**Harry stared at him. Then he remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick —"**

"**Calm yourself, dear boy, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."**

"**Then who does? Sir, I —"**

"**Harry, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."**

Severus and Minerva snorted at the mental image of Poppy throwing Albus out of the infirmary.

**Harry swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.**

"**Tokens from your friends and admirers," **

"Oh, so they like you now" James said sarcastically

"Yeah, when you've once again, rid the world of Voldemort" Moony continued

"Ah well, people ya know" Remus shrugged

"**said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. **

"Hey," James exclaimed and then started to laugh.

"Hah! They did try and send one" Moony said laughing.

"Of course, the Twins are amazing" Ron answered

"I think we figured that out" James muttered

"Wait until next year" Harry continued smiling.

"Then the year after" Remus out in

"Why?" james and Sirius asked

"They get better" Harry smirked.

**No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."**

"**How long have I been in here?"**

"**Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."**

"Why say Ron's name and not Hermione's?" Lily randomly asked

"Because there's more then one Mr. Weasley" Dumbles answered

"Oh" Lily muttered stupidly.

"**But sir, the Stone —"**

"**I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."**

"**You got there? You got Hermione's owl?"**

"**We must have crossed in mid-air. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."**

"**It was you."**

"**I feared I might be too late."**

Lily gasped at that, her son almost died and he was only eleven. Dumbles was going down for orchestrating this whole thing.

"**You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer –"**

"**Not the Stone, boy, you — the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."**

"**Destroyed?" said Harry blankly. "But your friend — Nicolas Flamel —"**

"**Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. **

"**You did do the thing properly, didn't you?"**

"Infinite proof that he orchestrated the whole thing" Harry cackled

"You know Dumbles, how you could do this is beyond me" Peter muttered

"**Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."**

"**But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"**

"**They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."**

**Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face.**

"**To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all — the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."**

**Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.**

"**Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking… sir — even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who —"**

"**Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."**

"**Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"**

"I hope he has," Lily muttered

"But we know he hasn't" James said

Lily just sighed and nodded her head at James.

"**No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. **

"Then why does anyone follow him?" Dumbles asked

"Because he has true goals that won't kill us all" Sev answered

"My goals won't kill us all" Dumbles frowned

"Yes they will, the Muggles would kill us all if we ever came out into the open" Remus sighed

**Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."**

**Harry nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made his head hurt. Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…"**

"**The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."**

"I really wish he would have just told me then," Harry muttered to everyone

"You were not ready" Dumbles muttered

"I've been ready since I was one year old, do not patronize me" Harry snarled

"**Well… Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"**

"That's a brilliant question, and the one you need the most answers to" Remus said

**Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.**

"**Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."**

"Playing God again Albus?" McGonagall sneered.

**And Harry knew it would be no good to argue.**

"**But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"**

"**Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. **

"Lily, you saved him," James said squeezing her shoulder.

"But… at the cost of my life with him" She said tears in her eyes.

"You were the one that really defeated Voldemort back then," Harry said smiling sadly at his mum, tears starting to build in his eyes. "If it wasn't for your protection… I would have died. I wouldn't be here to save the day, when there are people worth fighting for"

Lily smiled and pulled her son into a hug and said, "I wouldn't have had it any other way then. Minus my sister of course" she continued her eyes going into slits.

**It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."**

**Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet. When he had found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak — do you know who sent it to me?"**

"**Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."**

"No I didn't," James scoffed.

"Yeah, he used it to pull off all of his pranks," Sirius said proudly.

"Dumbles giving me false ideals of my parents" Harry muttered

"**And there's something else…"**

"**Fire away."**

"**Quirrell said Snape —"**

"**Professor Snape, Harry."**

"**Yes, him — Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"**

"**Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."**

"**What?"**

"**He saved his life."**

"You saved his life," Sirius questioned.

"I think he's talking about the willow incident," Remus said turning pale.

"Oh," Sirius looked ashamed.

"Yeah, you better fucking look ashamed Sirius Black" Harry thundered "You do know, that if Remus had actually bit or killed him, he would have been killed my the ministry?" he continued

Sirius looked distraught "No, I didn't" he whispered

"Next time, fucking think through your actions Sirius" Ron hissed

"**What?"**

"**Yes…" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…"**

"I don't think that's the really reason," James said thoughtfully.

"It was and it wasn't" Severus admitted

"Will you tell me the other reasons?" Lily asked

"Maybe when your older" Severus answered cheekily

"Oh hush, I'm as old as you are, technically!" Lily answered

**Harry tried to understand this but it made his head pound, so he stopped.**

"**And sir, there's one more thing…"**

"**Just the one?"**

"**How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"**

"**Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone — find it, but not use it — would be able to get it, **

"I thought so," Remus said triumphantly.

"Smart ass" Sirius muttered, but by the smile on his face you could tell he had said this kind of things loads of times

**otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes… Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them — but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"**

**He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"**

"HAH! Take that" James yelled

**Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.**

"**Just five minutes," Harry pleaded.**

"**Absolutely not."**

"**You let Professor Dumbledore in…"**

"**Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."**

"**I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey…"**

"**Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."**

"Your as persuasive as we were" Moony laughed

"Only because after a while she gets annoyed of the begging" Harry grinned

**And she let Ron and Hermione in.**

"**Harry!"**

**Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but Harry was glad she held herself in as his head was still very sore.**

"I really did want to hug you then, but you looked so weak…" Hermione said.

"Hey," Harry pouted.

"You were" Severus muttered

"And how would you know" Harry asked grumpily

"Because I was making all of your potions" Severus shot back.

"Oh" Harry shrugged, but gave his boyfriend a hug.

"**Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —"**

"**The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"**

**It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors. **

**Harry told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.**

"**So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"**

"**That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"**

"**I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.**

"**So what happened to you two?" said Harry.**

"Took me ages to bring him around" Hermione moaned jabbing her thumb at Ron.

"Excuse me, I was hit IN THE HEAD with a chess piece's arm" Ron grumbled

"**Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round — that took a while — and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall — he already knew — he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."**

"**D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"**

"**Well, " Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say that's terrible — you could have been killed."**

"Love how you agree with me at that point in life" Harry commented

"**No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"**

"**Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food'll be good."**

"No," James winced.

"Yep" Ron shook his head sadly "It was depressing to watch how much they really depended on Harry"

"But we were the Gryffindor Dream Team" Harry protested

"Well, the other six were nothing without you" Ron snarked

**At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.**

"**You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.**

**After a good night's sleep, Harry felt nearly back to normal.**

"**I want to go to the feast," he told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened his many candy boxes. "I can, can't I?"**

"**Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "And you have another visitor."**

"**Oh, good," said Harry. "Who is it?"**

**Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at him, and burst into tears.**

"**It's — all — my — ruddy — fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"**

"I can't say that I'm too pleased about that, but I don't really blame him," Lily said. "Besides, he has been really good to Harry so I can forgive him."

"Yeah, Hagrid is amazing" Harry grinned

"**Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."**

"**Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"**

"**VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads…"**

**Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."**

"**It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.**

"I don't blame you there," the marauders all said at once.

"I don't think Hagrid did either to be honest" Ron shrugged

"**Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'course, he shoulda sacked me instead — anyway, got yeh this…"**

**It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page were his mother and father.**

"That was very thoughtful of him," James said

"yeah, it's the best thing in the world" Harry said

"Well I'm glad you got it" Lily smiled

"So am I, it even has pictures of your wedding in it" Harry exclaimed.

"**Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?"**

**Harry couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.**

**Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. He had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving him one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.**

"Kill me now" James moaned

"Me too" Sirius shouted childishly not wanting to be left out.

**When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. He slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.**

**Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.**

"**Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…**

"**Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."**

"Stupid Slytherin, why did they have to win?" Sirius said.

"Because we are the best" Draco sang

**A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.**

"Yes, it really was Dray" Harry answered before Draco could ask his question.

"**Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."**

"What?" the Gryffs asked perking up

**The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.**

"**Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…**

"**First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley…"**

**Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.**

"… **for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."**

"Way to go, mate!" James and Sirius shouted and everyone else cheered.

**Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"**

**At last there was silence again.**

"**Second — to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."**

"All right!" Moony said

"Cool use of Logic? Favourite much?" Peter asked

**Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears. **

"I didn't burst into tears," Hermione exclaimed.

"Then why did you bury your face?" Harry asked.

"I wasn't used to that much attention, it was a little unnerving," Hermione shrugged.

"Welcome to my life," Harry groaned.

**Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up.**

"**Third — to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."**

"At a boy!" James said slapping his son back.

"They're now tied with Slytherin!" Remus said.

**The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup — if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.**

**Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.**

"**There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."**

"Way to go Neville!" Sirius cheer

"Gryffindor won" James, Moony and Remus chanted

"Put a sock in it so Hermione can finish" Lily yelled

**Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.**

"**Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."**

**He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eye and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward him hadn't changed one jot. This didn't worry Harry. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.**

**It was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls… he would never, ever forget tonight.**

"Winning the cup was better than making friends with me," Hermione said offended.

"Er…." Harry said looking scared.

"Yep" Ron answered for him unfazed by the anger in Hermione's eyes.

**Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. **

**Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.**

**And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.**

**It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.**

"**You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you — I'll send you an owl."**

"Doesn't mean the owl would get there…" Ron muttered to his friends.

"**Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to." People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:**

"**Bye, Harry!"**

"**See you, Potter!"**

"**Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.**

"**Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.**

"I can't believe you have to live with those… people," Sirius said not finding any words bad enough to described the Dursleys.

"Well I do, deal with my lot in life" Harry grinned

**He, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"**

**It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.**

"**Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see —"**

"Aww, someone has a crush," James teased.

"Shush, she still thinks I fancy her" Harry looked scared

"Did you ever?" Ron asked

"Yeah but, she was the only ever girl" Harry shrugged

What about Cho?" Hermione asked

"I wasn't after Cho" Harry protested

"Yes you were," Ron teased.

"Noo, I was after Cedric" Harry confessed

Ron and Hermione were appropriately shocked

"But, fifth year?" Hermione muttered

"I was trying to be a friend, she took it the wrong way" Harry shrugged

"Oh" was all that was said.

"**Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."**

**Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.**

"**Busy year?" she said.**

"**Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."**

"Good boy Harry, you remembered you manners," Lily smiled.

"Yeah I got Dudley's share of them too" Harry grinned

"**Oh, it was nothing, dear."**

"**Ready, are you?"**

**It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still moustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.**

"**You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.**

"**In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.**

**Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.**

"**See you over the summer, then."**

"**Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.**

"**Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"**

"Oh excellent" Sirius cheered

"So that it for this book," Hermione said putting it down.

"I guess we have time for a bite to eat" peter said as he was looking out at the night sky"

Yeah, then maybe the first chapter of the next book and we'll call it a night?" Severus suggested

"I think that's good," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Right then"

"Food"

Omgg, I'm done. YEY!

Finally, never thought I would be finished really. But alas I AM

I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and would like to let you all know that the second book WILL be up soon, chapter by chapter of course, seeing as I have the whole summer ahead of me. And, thats it really, oh but be warned I'm taking people out for the next book, keeping all of these characters s just too confusing. Peace out. Crossfire x


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